Agencies Unable To Fulfill Toy Requests This Year
BOSTON (CBS) - It doesn't take a ton to make most little kids happy, and at Christmastime, a toy or two shouldn't be too much to ask for.
But this year, local agencies are finding it hard to fulfill even the most basic requests.
At "A Better Tomorrow" social services in Everett, Monday was day one of toy distribution and things were already looking dire.
WBZ-TV's Jim Armstrong reports
"Unfortunately we don't have that many toys to help them out," explained "A Better Tomorrow" founder and president Emmanuel Exilhomme. "This year, you know, we have a lot of requests from families for toys."
More than 600 requests from just this one office, which distributes toys donated to the Marine-run Toys for Tots campaign.
The agency's basement office on Main Street has a big room that's almost full of stuffed animals, board games, and other assorted toys. Yet it doesn't look like "A Better Tomorrow" will be able to fulfill every request. Other agencies throughout the Commonwealth are finding themselves in a similar situation.
Toys for Tots of Greater Boston made an eleventh-hour appeal for more toys last week, and people stepped up - but it still looks like there will be a shortfall.
With the countdown clock ticking, Exilhomme says people can still donate. "It's never too late because we have a few days before Christmas."
Of particular need are presents appropriate for children between the ages of 12 and 16.
