Toys At Christmas Are The Next Way The Boys & Girls Clubs To Help Families
DENVER (CBS4) - The Boys & Girls Clubs have stepped up for their families in many ways this year, and Christmas is no exception. The Together 4 Colorado Toy Collection will help those clubs provide new toys to each child who's a member.
"I would say [that] it's super important, not just for the kid, but for the families as well. A lot of our families have lost their jobs, some of them are working two jobs to be able to provide for their kids. And just being able to…really being able to give them something to have for the holidays shows the kid that we care. There is someone who really cares," said Mayra Sierra, Club Director at the Altura Boys & Girls Club.
Right now, most of the 20+ clubs throughout the metro area are operating on a reduced capacity, but all members can access online programming.
"Our clubs are operating really different this year, especially with the pandemic going on. We are still trying our best to support the communities that we serve. As of now, we are running remote learning centers across Denver. Just really being able to support families with internet services and that one-on-one assistance with the school work for kids. We are having staff members going around and just continuing to provide those brain breaks so that kids are having that opportunity away from the screen so that they have those breaks from school," Sierra explained.
Most of the families, 95%, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver serve are living on $30,000 or less, so any income instability has a very big impact on the children in the family. COVID-19 has impacted a lot of these families.
"It definitely has had a huge impact in the communities we serve. Normally we're able to serve a lot more families in the buildings that we're at. We are serving a smaller group of kids and families right now because of all of the guidelines that we have to follow. But we are being very intentional to make sure that we're continuing to build those connections and keeping that line of communication open for the families that are not able to attend, and continue to ask the questions like what they need and what supports they're seeing that they want, and so making sure that we're able to provide those supports for them," Sierra said.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver need the entire Colorado community to come together with donations of new, unwrapped toys so they can support their families this Christmas.
LINK: More Information About The Together 4 Colorado Toy Drive
The Together 4 Colorado Drive-thru, Drop-off Collection is Friday, Dec. 11. CBS4 and Boys & Girls Clubs staff members will be collecting toy donations outdoors in the parking lot, with social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand sanitizer available.
Anyone who wants to donate can just drive up, and drop-off a donation without even getting of their car. The collection will be happening at two King Soopers, the one on West Alameda at Belmar in Lakewood, and the other will be at 80th and Sheridan in Arvada. The collection runs from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
For people who don't feel comfortable leaving their houses, there are still ways to participate. The Boys and Girls Clubs are taking donations on their website. The money will be used to buy toys.
