TOLEDO, Ohio — Toledo showed up big on Thursday for WTOL 11's annual Gift of Joy toy drop at the downtown television station. How big? The drive collected a record number of toys.
But it's the day after the toy drive that caseworkers at Lucas County Children Services love the most.
Joy could be heard and seen on the faces of caseworkers as they stopped by the office to do Christmas shopping for their children.
"They get three gifts usually. And it just means the world to them," said caseworker Mackenzie Marciniak.
Marciniak has been with the agency for six years. She's familiar with the drive and says sometimes these are the only toys some of her kids may get.
"With COVID, things have definitely been tough," said Marciniak. "Housing has been an issue, jobs, things like that. So the Christmas season is definitely daunting for some families."
This year's toy drop collected the most toys ever, which will go to over 2,000 children.
"For the parents, sometimes you can hear the relief in their voice when we say we're going to be getting some gifts what do the kids like," said Marciniak .
She says sometimes on the job, good days are few and far between, but it's days like this that make all of their hard work worth it. She adds, they have the community to thank for it.
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"This agency wouldn't function without our community," said Marciniak. "I mean we don't go looking for families. The community calls us. So these kids owe the community all of it."
There's still time to donate online using the "Click it, Ship it, Gift it" program. Just shop online and ship it straight to WTOL 11 at 730 N Summit Street.
There are also several drop off bins around Toledo, including these locations.
- LCCS offices | 705 Adams St., downtown Toledo
- All Toledo-area Burger King restaurants | Holland, Maumee, Northwood, Oregon, Toledo, and Lambertville, Michigan
- Civil & Environmental Consultants | 4841 Monroe St., Toledo
- Franklin Park Mall | 5001 Monroe St., Toledo (pick an ornament from the wish trees)
- La-Z-Boy Furniture stores | 5804 Airport Hwy. and 5173 Monroe St., Toledo.
- Toledo Auto Care | 4544 Monroe St., 5329 Heatherdowns Blvd., and at B&L Whitehouse Auto Care | 10829 Logan St., Whitehouse
- Woodcraft | 5311 Airport Highway, Toledo
- All Toledo-area Yark Automotive Group locations
- WTOL 11 studios, 730 N. Summit St., Toledo (during regular business hours)
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