A charity that provides free food and clothing to low-income families in the Santa Maria Valley, has made a last-minute plea for donated toys after having twice as many children as expected this holiday season.
Charlene's Closet had expected to give 500 children toys this Christmas. However, the need has doubled, and now 1,000 children are on a list to receive toys from the organization.
Thus, the organization may not have enough toys to hand out to all the children on the list, Charlene's Closet officials said.
“We still have 194 families to serve between now and Christmas Eve night,” said Robyn De Rohan, Charlene's Closet spokeswoman.
In response, the store will remain open from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Monday. Beginning Christmas Day the store will close until Jan. 10. for restocking.
Most needed are gifts for the ‘tween age group, youth 11 to 15 years old, De Rohan said.
In particular, girls' toiletries and bath products are in demand.
“The community has been awesome,” De Rohan said. “But, for whatever reason, we always run out of those things.”
On a bright note, Charlene's Closet did receive some help Monday in the form of a $500 donation from the Santa Maria Police Officer's Association.
The money was raised solely from officer donations, and hand-delivered in the form of a check to Charlene's Closet.
It will be used to purchase board games, which are given to each family the organization serves.
De Rohan said Charlene's Closet volunteers and employees were grateful to receive the donation.
Charlene's Closet, opened this fall by Good Samaritan Services Inc., is store where homeless families can come shop for food, clothing and toys in a setting designed to provide dignity and respect.
The facility is named for Charlene Chase, a longtime director of the Department of Social Services for Santa Barbara County. Chase died of cancer in February shortly after retiring.
December 23, 2007
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