Salvation Army Toy Shop makes sure low-income kids have a great Christmas

Thanks to the Tri-State's generosity, hundreds of families will be picking out Christmas gifts on Monday morning at the Salvation Army Toy Shop at 4020 E. Galbraith Road. Thousands of handmade doll clothes, dolls, teddy bears, and books have been provided at this time to low-income children through The Salvation Army's Toy Shop Auxiliary, in addition to financial considerations from the annual Charity Doll Auction (which took place on Nov. 4).  The shop will stay on Galbraith Road through Thursday, Dec. 14 then move to Northern Kentucky on Friday.  Salvation Army requests for assistance are up about 15 percent regionwide, according to Major Everett Henry. Between Cincinnati, Clermont County and Northern Kentucky, he estimates the Salvation Army will serve over 10,000 families this year at the Toy Shop and Adopt-A-Family programs. The Toy Shop is funded through financial donations made to The Salvation Army, The Salvation Army Toy Shop Auxiliary as well as additional support from the U.S. Marines Reserve Toys for Tots program. They're no longer in need of toys, but the biggest need right now is for monetary donations in their “Love Your Neighbor” Red Kettle Campaign, which has a $1 million goal for 2017. If not at a live kettle, giving can be online. Visit The Salvation Army’s website here for more information on how to volunteer or donate or create an online kettle to share with friends and encourage others to give. You can also text LOCAL to 41444.