Toys for Tots Charlotte has only two weeks to find space for donations as Christmas quickly approaches.
U.S. Marines Staff Sgt. Scott Bowen knows what it’s like to wake up on Christmas morning with nothing under the tree.
“It’s a terrible feeling as a child, and I still remember that,” Bowen said.
He wants to ensure no other child experiences the same heartache, which is why he’s a coordinator for Toys for Tots Charlotte.
Bowen expects his team will donate more than 200,000 toys to kids in need this year.
“With things being higher priced, there’s going to be a higher demand for families need to reach out to additional support to provide for their children,” he said.
Bowen needs a Christmas miracle for a place to put the toys.
The warehouse they’ve been using for years is at capacity.
“Here we are, 14 days from crunch time,” he said. “And we don’t have anything locked on yet. So we’re kind of in a little bit of a short fuse, high-priority right now.”
The clock is ticking until Oct. 1, which is when nonprofits can apply for assistance.
Applications will open to families closer to the holidays.
Toys for Tots Charlotte needs to secure a 12,000-square foot space for its donations.
“That’s the most important part,” Bowen said. “Because without that, we can’t house the toys. We can’t sort them. We don’t have a place for anybody to come and receive the toys.”
Bowen hopes someone watching can step up and help him make thousands of families happy for the holidays.
“Being able to provide and support families all across the city, there’s no better feeling than that, honestly,” he said.
Toys for Tots also needs volunteers to sort toys once a warehouse is secured.
Click here to learn how you can become a volunteer.
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