A toy drive for Tri-City families in need this holiday season already has $10,000 in the bank thanks to the Port Moody Firefighters Charitable Society.
On Nov. 20, the smoke-eaters made their annual donation to SHARE Family and Community Services, the region’s social services agency, for the toy campaign.
This year, SHARE hopes to collect 1,500 new, unwrapped toys for kids and youth — a number that’s up from the 2023 run “because of the number of children needing our services,” executive director Claire MacLean told the Tri-City News on Nov. 21.
On Saturday, Nov. 23, SHARE will have a kiosk at the northern end of Coquitlam Centre mall (2929 Barnet Hwy.) to accept toy donations from noon to 4 p.m.; there will also be family-fun activities and photos.
MacLean said the push is for gifts for tweens and teens because “in their middle and high school years, they are aware what’s going on with their families and they understand the financial stress they are under. They may also be looking at their peers who are getting a lot of presents like makeup, clothes and gadgets, and feeling left out. They feel it so much more acutely at that age.”
Here’s the SHARE toy wish list:
Ages six to 10
- Akedo figurines
- car or truck sets
- colouring books
- craft sets
- Lego sets
- LOL Dolls Surprise: Tweens
- magic kit
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid books
- Dog Man books
Ages 11 to 13
- Akedo or Roblox figurines
- art books, journals and craft kits
- Beyblades or Rubik’s Cubes
- Lego sets
- makeup or nail polish kits
- Woobles crochet kits
- Steam gift cards
Ages 14 to 17
- books, games or puzzles
- colouring books or puzzles
- heatless cur sets or hair products
- makeup or nail kits
- sports gear or jerseys
- power banks
- wireless headphones or ear buds
- bluetooth speakers
- gift cards for Coquitlam Centre, Sephora or Game Stop
MacLean said she recently heard from a SHARE volunteer who recalled receiving a SHARE toy gift as a teen when her family was struggling. She expressed how grateful and relieved her mother was to have the donated presents for her kids.
“Teens, especially, are at a critical time in their lives,” MacLean said. “A small gesture can be a life-saving difference for them.”
The mall also will match any Coquitlam Centre gift card donation to the toy drive.
Donors unable to get to the toy drive on Saturday, Nov. 23 can drop off their new, unwrapped gifts at the:
- SHARE food bank (2615 Clarke St., Port Moody)
- mall toy kiosk (opens Dec. 2)
- SHARE gift wrapping station (opens Dec. 7)
Santa Fox 50/50
Meanwhile, for the fourth year, the Vancouver radio station CFOX 99.3FM is running its Santa Fox 50/50 draw for SHARE.
Tickets for the fundraiser are available online until Dec. 17, 2024. The winner will be named at 8 a.m. on Dec. 18 on the Jeff O’Neil Show. Last year’s recipient took home $252,127.
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