With roughly two weeks to go until Christmas Eve, the Chatham Goodfellows are starting to package thousands of toys to ensure there's "No Child Without a Christmas".
Tim Mifflin of Chatham Goodfellows, said although toys will start being packed on Monday, they are still accepting toy donations throughout the week.
"As the process goes on, we will continue to need toys," said Mifflin. "Last year, as an example, we were very close to running out of toys for boys and girls ages 10 and 12 so we appreciate all the donations."
Toy packing will start on Monday from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at 70 Leeson Dr. in Chatham (behind Honda House). The toy packing process will take approximately four days to complete with the final day being December 12.
Toys will then be delivered to parents or guardians on December 17 after 5:30 p.m.
Mifflin said they will need a lot of help from community members at this time but he suspects there will be many who are willing to donate their time.
"For the Porchlight [campaign] we had over 560 people come out to canvass Chatham and in three hours we raised almost $44,000," he said. "For toy packing, when it's all done in four days, we'll have well over 500 [volunteers]."
In the meantime, the Goodfellows will have their "Street Sales" fundraiser on Saturday and Sunday. Mifflin said the great thing about this campaign, is community members get to help others who perhaps have fallen on some hard times.
"Throughout the course of my career, I can remember people having their houses broken into on Christmas Eve when everything was closed. You make a call and they have a full dinner for Christmas and we provide toys for the kids -- that's what we do," said Mifflin. "If there's an event where people lose everything, we're there to help."
Toys aside, the Goodfellows have also been collecting cash and food donations to make sure families are able to enjoy a Christmas feast. Mifflin said they will pack over 1,400 boxes of food in three hours and deliver them on the same day on December 18, starting at 8 a.m.
