Christmas Toy Drive a big success

Hundreds of children currently in care will experience the joy of playing with new toys this Christmas thanks to the generosity of the Moreton Bay community.

As part of the 12^th annual Christmas Toy Drive at Morayfield Shopping Centre, more than 20 trolleys full of toys, games, books and puzzles were donated from local individuals, businesses and community groups.

This year, a new community organisation called Kindness for Kids In Care was established to help run the annual Christmas Toy Drive, which ran from late October to December 10.

Through them, all donations were given to the Department of Child Safety, who will now distribute the gifts to children that are currently in foster care, residential care, or spending the holidays away from their family in hospital.

Prue Aranovitch, Chairperson at Kindness for Kids In Care, thanked the community for ensuring the Christmas Toy Drive was an enormous success.

“The Christmas Toy Drive would not be possible if it wasn’t for the hard work of our volunteers and the unwavering support of our great sponsors, particularly Morayfield Shopping Centre,” Prue said.

“We are so grateful to our generous customers and sponsors who have not only helped us by donating toys and money, but they’ve also helped us to give these children the best Christmas they’ve ever had.”

Morayfield Shopping Centre Marketing Assistant Becky Curtis said “the spirit of giving was certainly alive” in the Moreton Bay Region.

“We’ve been absolutely overwhelmed by the generosity of not only our customers but also the sponsors and community; the spirit of giving is certainly alive and well here in the Moreton Bay Region,” Becky said.

“This year we collected almost $20,000 worth of donations and over 20 trolleys full of toys and counting!

“Over 750 children will receive toys this year.”