A 12-year-old boy and his 4-year-old sister in Portland. A precocious 5-year-old girl in Gorham. A teenage brother and sister in Lisbon.
And more than 3,000 other children from Kittery north to Livermore Falls and Parsonsfield east to Rockport.
All are waking up this Christmas morning with gifts to unwrap, thanks to the readers and businesses who donated to the Press Herald Toy Fund. It’s a triumph of good will that has brightened the holidays for struggling families for 69 years and allowed children to stay children a while longer, in spite of all manner of hardships faced by the grownups who care for them.
Some of the children have lost parents to drug addiction and live with grandparents trying to raise them on Social Security. Others have parents who have fallen ill or been injured, who have lost jobs or simply been unable to keep up with bills for heat or car repairs. Some have parents who are going through divorce or escaping abusive relationships. Some have lost their homes to fires or rent increases. Some are living in hotel rooms or sleeping on couches.
But this Christmas, all of them had reason to smile.
• THE PRESS HERALD TOY FUND in the Spirit of Bruce Roberts uses donations from readers to provide toys to thousands of Maine children who might otherwise not receive holiday gifts because of hardships faced by their parents. Founded in 1949, the fund is accepting applications for toys from needy families in York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Androscoggin, Lincoln and Knox counties.
• DONATIONS to help buy the toys can be made at pressheraldtoyfund.org or by writing checks to the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund and mailing them to the fund at P.O. Box 7310, Portland, ME 04112.
• FOR MORE INFORMATION, call 791-6672 or go to: pressheraldtoyfund.org.
• SEE MORE STORIES about the fund at pressherald.com/press-herald-toy-fund/.
TODAY’S DONATIONS
Merry Christmas to all! $100
Anonymous $25
Erica L. Bartlett $50
Anonymous $100
In loving memory of Laurie Reiche, Howard C. Reiche, Kirsten Terhune, and Yamadoodledingdong. From Los Terhunes $50
Merry Christmas to all! Karen, Gerry, Booker & Marble $100
Happy Holidays! Staff of Insurance Trust $50
In memory of my sister & brother-in-law, from Peggy & Bob Jewett $200
Annual donation from the Women of the Moose, Portland Chapter 1971 $100
Employees at Sevee & Maher Engineers Inc. $555
Cindy Foster $200
Eddie’s $373
Merry Christmas from D&G Machine Products Inc. $1,000
Best wishes from Drumlin Environmental LLC $100
Merry Christmas! Skillin School Student Council $200
Anonymous $150
JOCIJIANNA for the 69th year! $500
On behalf of Haley & Aldrich $89.40
In loving memory of my Aunt Frances T. Dooley, who was always kind to her nephews. Much missed. John E. Dooley $250
Toy Fund Volunteer Fundraiser $200
Facebook Giving Tuesday: Jill Shuffleton Hansen, Sam Hunneman, Joyce Clarkson-Veilleux, Margie Emmons, Deb Driver, Janet Leaver and Joy Aiello $520
Lucy Green $50
In memory of Mickey and Mary Maguire $100
In loving memory of Thomas Cook from his family $25
Benjamin A. Soule $50
In memory of dear Aunty BA – Merry Christmas! $50
Anonymous $100
Rusty & Mittens $25
In loving memory of Carol Ann Oleshevick. Merry Christmas! Maggie & Nick $25
From KYRA $50
In loving memory of my Mom & Dad & Kathy L., from Mike Nelson $50
John & Jean Northrup $100
Linda & Philip Coupe $100
Burnell’s Towing $50
In memory of Paul J. White, from Katherine White $100
Ann Harmon $100
Anonymous $30
David Dyer $100
Anonymous $5
Pamela Ferland $100
Edward & Catherine Peterson $100
In memory of Nana Jane, Papa Don and Grampa Harry $100
Lawrence & Karan Miller $100
Year to date: $100,069.40
Send questions/comments to the editors.
