Kent’s Toys for Joy collects toys for 1,550 children

Published 11:29 am Friday, December 26, 2014

The annual Kent Toys for Joy drive collected and delivered more than 4,000 toys for 1,550 children this holiday season.

The Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority (RFA), Kent Firefighters Local 1747 and the Kent Firefighters Foundation run the event.

The Toys for Joy program provides new toys to local food banks for distribution to families in need. The majority go to the Kent Food Bank. Other agencies which benefit from the program are the city of SeaTac, the Covington/Maple Valley Food Bank, the Des Moines Food Bank and King County Housing.

Santa was on hand to meet with families who registered with the Kent Food Bank as volunteers unloaded the gifts on Dec. 20.

Program Coordinator Justin Schauer, who is also a firefighter for the Kent Fire Department RFA, said of the program, “the generosity of the public in donating gifts, the hundreds who came to the wrapping parties, and those that helped us unload the toys at the food bank are what make this a great community to work in.”

The Toys for Joy program would like to thank all of the residents and businesses who participated and made the program a success, said Kent RFA spokesman Kyle Ohashi. Kent Fire recognizes the following businesses for their continued support:

• Reddaway Trucking for providing a semi-truck and trailer to store and haul the wrapped gifts.

• Door to Door Storage of Kent for providing the storage pods.