More donations arrive for the toy fund
By Staff Report
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Donations continue to arrive for the Press Herald Toy Fund, which provided gifts for thousands of Maine children last month and will soon begin planning for a 72nd holiday season.
The outpouring of support in recent weeks helped lift the spirits of struggling families and sustained the charity through a year like no other.
There is no time limit on donations, which are accepted year-round and have sustained the charity for seven decades. Donors’ names and messages will continue to be published along with periodic updates on the annual fundraising campaign in the days ahead.
Toy fund tops $260,000 in donations
The year-to-date total topped $260,000 Thursday. That’s double the amount raised last year.
There is no time limit on donations, which are accepted year-round and have sustained the charity for seven decades. Donors’ names and messages will continue to be published along with periodic updates on the annual fundraising campaign in the days ahead.
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THE PRESS HERALD TOY FUND in the Spirit of Bruce Roberts uses donations from readers to provide toys to thousands of Maine children who might otherwise not receive holiday gifts because of hardships faced by their parents. Now in its 71st year, the fund serves families in York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Androscoggin, Lincoln and Knox counties.
Donors grateful to be part of toy fund tradition
Many send notes of thanks along with their donations.
By Staff ReportStaff report
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The Press Herald Toy Fund is used to getting thank you notes from parents who, with a little help, were able to bring joy to their children at the holidays.
But this year there have also been many notes of thanks from donors.
It seems people were craving the chance to help struggling neighbors this year, and grateful that this particular holiday tradition survived the pandemic.
“There have been such sentiments each day,” said Kathleen Meade, the toy fund’s director. The notes say how glad the donors are that the fund happened despite all the challenges and once again offered them a way to “share the good feeling of helping others and … see the effort come together and build.”
Toy fund volunteer already looking forward to next year
The highlight for volunteers always comes in late December, when parents come to pick up toys they will give to their children.
Therese Drapeau of Freeport just finished her second year volunteering with the Press Herald Toy Fund.
She’ll be back. And she is encouraging others to join the fun next year. “We can always welcome more volunteers,” Drapeau said.
It can be hard work, especially this year when social distancing meant smaller teams on each shift sorting, packing and handing out the toys.
But, said Drapeau, “It’s like a little family. … It’s actually a lot of fun.”
Meet some of the children helped by the toy fund this year
A teenager helping care for her younger siblings and a 4-year-old with Down syndrome are just two of thousands.
By Staff Report
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The donors who have kept the Press Herald Toy Fund going for 71 years never get to physically meet the children they help, at least as far as they know.
But the letters received from parents who seek help often come with tidbits of personal information that help us imagine them. Here are some of the thousands of children who will feel the joy of unwrapping gifts this week because of the generosity of the fund’s supporters: