This Saturday the nonprofit Foster Alliance and Children, Youth & Families Department are partnering to host their annual holiday toy drive to support children in foster care.
This statewide initiative is helping to bring joy through donated toys to more than 10,000 children in the state and tribal foster care systems.
The Foster Alliance is encouraging community members, businesses, and organizations to host toy drives, donate unwrapped new toys, or shop from the Foster Alliance’s Amazon wish list.
Stephanie Juarez, program manager for The Foster Alliance, said it’s important to donate to foster youth.
“We're seeing a lot of smaller-age children going into care and we just want to be able to provide that moment of joy during this holiday season especially,” she said.
She said the holiday toy drive event will be like a Christmas wonderland.
“We'll have Santa there,” she said. “There will be a toy station. There will be some appetizers, some food for families to enjoy while they browse around.”
The holiday toy drive event will be this Saturday at Expo New Mexico from 4:30 till 6 p.m. and is already sold out, but the organization is still accepting toy donations.
Here are some additional information for families invited to the event:
Parking will be at Entrance Gate 3 (San Pedro & Copper).
- Complimentary Parking with a sweet twist! Give the fun password “Foster” to the parking attendant, and everyone in your car will receive candy canes to kick off the holiday spirit.
- Holiday costumes are encouraged
- Craft Table from 4:30 – 6:00 PM for hands-on holiday fun
- Santa Claus and Christmas Carolers will be in attendance bringing the sounds of the season.
Support for this coverage comes from the Thornburg Foundation.
