Community

FISH’s Toy Drive aims to bring holiday cheer to all

Inside an otherwise nondescript building on Soundview Drive, toys, bicycles, warm sweaters and more await the chance to make someone’s Christmas special. 

“It really feels like Santa’s workshop in here,” said Betsy Cheney. 

That’d make Cheney the chief elf. She is heading up FISH Food Bank’s holiday Toy Drive, which distributes gifts to hundreds of needy area families every Christmas.

On Wednesday, Dec. 7, she and a handful of volunteers were sorting donated items by age and gender in anticipation of the big distribution event, Dec. 15 through 17. 

Gig Harbor Penionsula FISH volunteer Betsy Cheney shows off some of the gift bags for baby boys awaiting distribution at a warehouse on Soundview Drive.

As of Wednesday, 695 youngsters had already registered to receive gifts through the drive. It’s a big number, and “it’s going to keep growing until distribution, Cheney said.

There’s still time to donate, and to register to receive gifts if you’re in need.

FISH is especially in need of gifts for older kids — teens and tweens, Cheney said. 

Toy drive getting back to normal

The FISH toy drive is a massive enterprise involving dozens of volunteers, service clubs, businesses and community groups ranging from churches to neighborhood organizations. Here’s how it works.

Needy families request assistance by registering online or in person no later than Wednesday, Dec. 14. Qualifying families — need is evaluated based on monthly income and number of people in the household — are given an appointment when they can come “shop” for free gifts for children.

Bicycles donated to Gig Harbor Peninsula FISH’s Christmas toy drive.

That part is returning this year — during the COVID pandemic years of 2020 and ‘21, volunteers had to bring pre-bagged gifts out to families based on age and gender of the child receiving the gift. This year, families can again go inside the warehouse and look for something right for their kids.

Families can make special requests, which FISH tries to fulfill either through local donations or an Amazon wish list.

Donations come from all over

Donations pour in from everywhere. Schools and churches organize toy drives. Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One picks up toys on its Santa Runs. And the Gig Harbor Lions Club plays a huge role. 

Lions organize the Giving Tree campaign. Club members create tags with suggested gift ideas and hang them as decorations on Christmas trees at more than 40 businesses around town. 

The tags are just suggestions, said Ruth Peterson, who organizes the Giving Tree effort for the Lions Club.

“Even if (a gift) is not on our tag, it will still be gratefully accepted and used and loved,” Peterson said.

Patrons pluck the tags off the trees, purchase the gifts and return them to the business hosting the tree. Lions swing by the businesses several times a week to pick up gifts and take them to the warehouse on Soundview, use of which is donated by the building owner.  

The Gig Harbor Lions Club’s Giving Tree program is a critical part of generating gifts for Gig Harbor Peninsula FISH’s holiday toy drive.

The Giving Tree campaign also supports the Children’s Home Society and the Boys and Girls Club at Evergreen Elementary on the Key Peninsula. But the bulk of the donations end up at the FISH toy drive. 

“We like to say, we facilitate joy,” Peterson said. “We’re kind of the in-between. We get them (the gifts) to the place where they’re needed.” 

 Increased need this year

The 695 kids registered to receive gifts as of Dec. 7 was already more than the campaign served in 2021. Yet donations appear to be down, especially for those tween and teen kids. Peterson said gift cards, sweatshirts and similar items are great for the older kids. 

Why the increase in demand? Probably due to inflation. 

Donations are sorted by what age they are intended for. Plenty of room remains on the table for girls ages 9 to 12.

“People who can only afford to pay their rent and gas – there’s a lot more of those families,” Cheney said. 

Not coincidentally, many of the special requests are far from extravagant. Some kids ask for toiletry items. Teens request free haircuts. Families with newborns ask for cribs and high chairs. 

“I can’t tell you how many times we get requests for warm clothes,” Cheney said. 

One family requested a zoo membership. Another just wanted to be able to go out to dinner together. 

Still time to help

Donations and requests for assistance will continue to be taken through Wednesday, Dec. 14.

To donate, pick up a tag at any of the 43 Giving Tree locations around town. You can also buy a gift and drop it off at the warehouse, 5775 Soundview Dr. No. E-102.

Another option: Order a specific item through FISH’s Toy Drive wishlist on Amazon. As of Thursday, about 40 specially requested items remained on the wish list.

There’s plenty of room left on this table for more donations.

Though donations appeared to be down a little (it’s difficult to keep an exact count), Cheney said that in her 10 or so years leading the drive, the community always steps up in the end.

Peterson agreed. 

“It’s such a fun project,” she said. “We continue to be amazed by the outcome and appreciate the generosity of our community in a lot of ways.” 

The Gig Harbor Peninsula FISH Food Bank is gathering up donations for its Christmas toy drive. Items will be distributed Dec. 15 through Dec. 17. Donations are still being accepted, and items for tween and teen kids are especially needed.