PORTLAND, Oregon — It's an annual tradition at Mannahouse located on Northeast Portland’s Rocky Butte.
Parents, foster parents and other family leaders come to shop for free for toys for the kids they love.
A majority of the toys for the Mannahouse Live Love NW initiative, comes from the KGW Great Toy Drive.
“We distribute those gifts we get into legitimately needy homes and families. The toy drive that KGW does is phenomenal, first of all because you have a platform to garner community support and engagement — people respond at a super high level,” said Mannahouse Senior Pastor Derrill Corbin.
Pastor Corbin says Mannahouse has three congregations in the Portland metro area.
Altogether, their toy drive, which includes Christmas music, a holiday meal, and even gift wrapping, serves four to five thousand kids who would not get much if anything otherwise.
Higher prices the past few years means the load is heavier for more and more families these days, according to Pastor Corbin.
“So I would ask anyone within the sound of my voice to understand the time that we're in and realize that families, young families especially, are under financial pressure — that the need is great,” said Corbin.
And that's where you come in if possible, by donating your time, talents, and toys.
“And I’ll tell you, if you're involved in giving and serving on that level — it’s a game changer,” said Corbin. "What it does to my heart and what I think I would want the KGW listeners to know is that they're making a difference.”
The KGW Great Toy Drive is going on now through Dec. 17. Help us collect toys for local families by giving at kgw.com/toy.