Bradenton-area donors step up to provide thousands of Christmas gifts to local kids
Salvation Army volunteers worked as efficiently as Santa’s elves while they distributed toys to the families of 1,100 Bradenton-area children.
Volunteers continuously filled a line of grocery carts with toys and gifts on Friday morning as the families received their donations in a drive-thru line at the Salvation Army Center, 5328 24th St. E., Bradenton.
“It’s super-exciting because we’re giving gifts to over 1,000 kids and every family gets a turkey and all the fixin’s to go with it,” said Julia Showers, program director for the Salvation Army in Manatee County.
Manatee County’s Salvation Army has been in the area for over a hundred years, said Showers. Each child was “adopted” by a community member who purchased and donated the toys.
Major Thomas Richmond said each child would receive at least three toys and volunteers would add clothes to each child’s bundle if they had them.
“We’re hoping that everyone has a Merry Christmas and that the community has made many kids happy,” said Showers.
For more information about the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, visit www.Bradenton.SalvationArmyFlorida.org.
This story was originally published December 20, 2024 at 12:52 PM.
