Lieutenant Ryan and Firefighters Jason W., Jason S., and David from Station 30 in NE Portland spent Thursday morning and afternoon at the Toy N Joy Makers headquarters unpacking and sorting thousands of toys alongside other community volunteers for children as part of the annual toy drive campaign.

Dependent solely on donations, Toy N Joy Makers places collection boxes at each of the 30 Portland fire stations, community and holiday events, and other functions where citizens are encouraged to bring and drop off new and unused toys and sports equipment for kids of all ages.  Toy N Joy Makers was founded in 1914 and gave a total of 67,856 toys to less-fortunate families in 2009.

Toys are picked up throughout the winter season and brought to the Toy N Joy Makers warehouse located at 59th and NE Going Street in Portland, Oregon.  Toys are then sorted by age and gender by Toy N Joy Makers volunteers, community volunteers, and firefighters and civilian staff at Portland Fire & Rescue.

Volunteers then box toys according to requests made from local families. All toys and sports equipment that are donated are distributed to children in the communities in which they were donated. The ultimate success of the Toy N Joy toy drive depends on the support of the local community and the generosity of the people who donate.

Toy N Joy is still accepting toy donations through December 23, 2010. Citizens can drop off toys at their nearest Portland fire station or the Toy N Joy headquarters.

For families looking to receive toys, contact the Toy N Joy Makers by phone at 503-231-8697. For more information about the program, visit http://www.toynjoymakers.org/.

   Portland Fire & Rescue 

   We Respond: Always Ready, Always There

   December 17, 2010

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