Holiday miracle! Local organization finds temporary warehouse for Toys for Tots
Marina Garcia
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – It looks like Santa will still be coming this year after Toys for Tots, a non-profit run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, was able to set up shop in a warehouse big enough for their distribution.
This comes after the organization almost had to cancel their giveaway this year due to not having a warehouse to work out of.
Now they have one just in time for the holidays, and Donna Smith, the Toys for Tots Assistant Coordinator, says the nine-thousand-square-foot warehouse is a shared space with U-Haul after they got permission from the landlord to sublease the back room.
Donna says it’s perfect for them to do their work, considering the last one had them feeling extremely crammed, but more importantly, it’s a space for them to continue providing new toys for kids in need.
“As a parent, it breaks the parent’s heart that they can’t give their children what they need for Christmas. So we’re not benefiting, just putting smiles on the kids’ faces Christmas morning. We’re making parents feel…like they’re not failing at being a parent. Hard times is not a failure, it’s a fact of life and it happens. And nobody should feel like a failure when they’re going through hard times,” says Smith.
But unfortunately, this warehouse is only a temporary fix.
“The end of January, we’re packing everything up and putting it in storage again, because we don’t have a facility lined up for next year,” says Smith.
Donna says they are looking for something long-term, now that Toys for Tots is a year-round program.
If you or someone you know is interested in providing a space for Toys for Tots to work out of, you can call 719-235-6815.