Salvation Army Requests Toy Donations
CHICAGO (CBS) -- There's still time for you to make the holidays brighter for a needy child in the Chicago-area with the help of the Salvation Army.
Captain Rich Forney of the Salvation Army's Community Center in Aurora said the Army has carefully compiled a list of truly needy children, who might not get a gift under the tree this holiday season without the help of a donor. WBBM's Jim Gudas reports.
"We start by interviewing families. We put word out to those who need assistance at Christmas time; in particular we are looking for children up to the age of 13. So we sit down and interview each and every family. We do an income qualification," Forney said.
For those children, the center has a room full of red bags - bags that contain a toy for each carefully screened needy child.
But hundreds of additional families are expected to request help from the Salvation Army this holiday season. So, Forney said, from now until Dec. 20, any donation of a toy at any Salvation Army center in the Chicago area is welcome.
"Because we anticipate that we are probably going to have another 300 families who won't be placed on tags, who will be coming in in the last hours," he said.
Forney said nothing beats the look on the face of a parent, who knows there will be a present for their child this holiday, thanks to the Salvation Army and the generosity of donors.