CALDWELL, Idaho — After months of preparations, The Salvation Army in Caldwell is preparing for their gift distribution with help from workers and local volunteers. The distribution is for families that signed up in advance to get help with food and toys this holiday season.
- The Salvation Army in Caldwell is working hard to get ready for their gift distribution event.
- After months of preparation, workers and volunteers are setting up for families to come and shop for toys for Christmas.
- Families that went through an in-person application will get the chance to pick out toys as they would in stores— all thanks to community donations.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Setting up in a small church for their annual gift distribution, Caldwell Salvation Army has been preparing for this day since the fall.
"It really makes the Christmas spirit come alive every year when we do this," said Caldwell Salvation Army worker Angela Clark. With months of preparation and generous donations from community volunteers, Salvation Army workers spend countless hours to make these two days special.
Angela Clark tells me this is her second year participating in gift distribution, and she is grateful to see what families in need around Canyon County will get to experience.
"The parents, when they first walk in and they see all the toys, are just amazed and they are so grateful— so it gives me a great feeling," said Clark.
"Today, I really feel like I can breathe because our community has really come together again in such a big way to help us provide for the families," said Corps Officer for The Caldwell Salvation Army, Amy Lewis.
Volunteers were emptying boxes and boxes of toy donations and placing them on tables in order of age group so families that applied in advance could shop normally like they would in stores.
The stories told during the registration include every type of hardship imaginable.
To address those challenges, The Caldwell Salvation Army serves 300 families and around 826 children with food boxes, angel trees, and gift distribution.
Amy Lewis tells me it couldn't have happened without the help from local stores, volunteers, and the community. "What I think it really shows— besides just giving toys or the food— is that people really do care," said Clark.