Northwest Assistance Ministries has extended the collection deadline for its Holiday Blessings toy drive from Dec. 6 to Dec. 10, nonprofit officials announced Dec. 2. Toy distribution will begin Dec. 14.
New, unwrapped toys in the range of approximately $25 per gift for newborns through age 12 may be dropped off Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at The Harrell Family Opportunity Center, located behind NAM's main building at 15555 Kuykendahl Road, Houston.
Updated Dec. 1 at 3:15 p.m.
With less than two weeks until Northwest Assistance Ministries' annual Holiday Blessings toy distribution, the organization is urgently in need of toy donations to meet its goal, nonprofit officials said in a Dec. 1 press release.
According to NAM Communications Specialist Stephanie Pena, each year NAM strives to provide three gifts for each of the more than 5,000 children registered—about 15,000 toys total.
"At this time, we are still several thousand toys short of reaching that goal, and the distribution is less than two weeks away," Pena said in a Dec. 1 email to Community Impact Newspaper.
According to Brian Carr, NAM's chief advancement officer, supply chain disruptions and rising costs have led to increased stress this holiday season for both local families in need and the nonprofits that assist them.
"It's just hard on everyone," Carr said in a statement. "It's hard on the families in need, and it's hard on the organizations trying to help those families."
New, unwrapped toys in the range of approximately $25 per gift for newborns through age 12 may be dropped off Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at The Harrell Family Opportunity Center, located behind NAM's main building at 15555 Kuykendahl Road, Houston.
Posted Nov. 15 at 7:35 a.m.
Spring-based nonprofit Northwest Assistance Ministries is collecting donations of food as well as new, unwrapped toys to distribute through the nonprofit’s annual Season of Blessings event.
Each year, NAM supplies local families in need with everything they need to prepare a full holiday meal in both November and December as well as gifts for families with children under age 12. This year, NAM is aiming to provide toys to 5,000 children and holiday meals to 1,500 families.
While registration has closed for families in need that are interested in participating in this year's event, NAM officials said both food and toy donations are still being accepted for distribution.
Officials said toys should cost around $25 and should be tailored to children from newborns to 12-year-olds. Canned food donations can include fruit, mixed vegetables, pumpkin, yams, corn and green beans. Additional food items that can be donated include cranberry sauce, chicken broth, evaporated milk, stuffing, turkey or chicken gravy, frozen turkeys and dessert mixes.
Toys can be dropped off until Dec. 6 at The Harrell Family Opportunity Center, located behind NAM’s main building—15555 Kuykendahl Road, Houston—on weekdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Food donations can be delivered to the Joanne Watford Nutrition Center at the NAM facility on weekdays from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. throughout the duration of the event.
For more information, call 281-885-4555 or visit www.namonline.org/season_of_blessings.
