PORTLAND, Ore. — The Dougy Center in Southeast Portland is the National Center for Grieving Children and Families. It is also a partner of the KGW Great Toy Drive, which receives donated stuffed animals from the community.
"The goal is to provide comfort and a soft, warm thing to cuddle with during a time of year that can be so challenging for families," said Brennan Wood, the executive director of the nonprofit. "We literally hear every day from families that the Dougy Center changed the course of their families' lives."
She said she knows the great need for these services, as she attended the Dougy Center at age 12.
"I went to Dougy Center in 1987 when my mom died," Wood said. "And I know firsthand the life-saving, life-changing impact we're having on now over 60,000 kids, teens, young adults and adult family members throughout our community."
According to last year's statistics, 31% of the Dougy Center families in the Portland metro area reported that they live below the poverty level. So, these stuffed animals carry a great impact during the holidays.
"Often, the first holiday season after a major loss can just hit so hard for our kids and families. So, providing them that extra comfort is something that is so important to Dougy Center and our kids absolutely love it," Wood said.
The center relies on community donations, as they offer services at no cost to families. So, if you're financially able, one way to support the work the nonprofit does is to donate a stuffed animal or make a monetary donation between now and Dec. 17. You can also stop by one of several Great Toy Drive drop-off events from Nov. 16 through Dec. 15.