Smith, who worked at Frisch’s for eight years before it closed, recently found herself on the receiving end of the Toys for Tots program.
She was at the Middletown location on Lewis Street picking out Christmas gifts for her 5-year-old twin boys. She had already bought them a DVD player and some DVDs, but after losing the job that supported her family, there wasn’t enough money for more presents.
“It’s really tough,” Smith said about losing a job this close to the holidays. “We have struggled before, but we were always able to give them Christmas.”
Now, thanks to the Toys for Tots volunteers and the generosity of the community, Smith’s boys and thousands of Butler and Warren county children will wake up Christmas morning to find presents under the tree.
“My kids deserve the world,” Smith said. “I’m beyond thankful. I’m blessed.”
Karen Tannreuther has volunteered for the organization for 24 years, 22 as coordinator. She said the non-profit, fully volunteer organization assisted 16,000 local children last year, 14,000 at Christmas.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
While this year’s numbers aren’t final, Tannreuther expects about the same need as 2023.
She said the new and unwrapped gifts are collected in boxes that are placed in area businesses or company Christmas parties. Monetary donations are used to purchase additional toys by the volunteers, she said.
The gifts are sorted by age appropriateness and parents are allowed to pick out gifts so they’re “still part of their children’s Christmas,” Tannreuther said.
Registration for assistance begins every November and is open for children from newborn from 17 years old.
The distribution of toys began Thursday and runs through Sunday. Each child receives two large, two small gifts, a puzzle, book, arts and crafts and a stuffed animal, she said.
Toys for Tots also provides gifts for local organizations and those children receive two gifts each, she said.
Every Christmas morning, Tannreuther said she thinks about all the children who may not have had presents to open without the generosity of the community.
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