Salem police and a local firefighter union have helped spread some holiday cheer to hundreds of local families this winter with their annual toy drives.
The Salem Police Department this year served 189 families, some with up to seven children, giving at least two toys and multiple stocking stuffers to each child, department spokeswoman Angela Hedrick said.
The agency serves roughly 200 to 250 families each year, sometimes providing multiple gifts for children.
A tradition for 36, years, the Salem Police Toy Drive began when an officer wanted to help a child whose mother had died by suicide, according to Hedrick.
Officers deliver the toys to a list of families provided to the department by the Salem-Keizer School District, Head Start, Family Building Blocks and other organizations that support local families.
The Salem police toy drive ran through Dec. 12.
Another toy drive organized by Salem Professional Firefighters Local 314 collected toys until Dec. 19.
The number of gifts collected aren’t tracked for either toy drive, but Fire Capt. Doug Stoops said his organization’s toy drive received more toys this year than the past couple of years.
He said that was with the help of a couple of families who donated multiple toys as well as some cash donations.
“The support from our community has been wonderful. Our toy bins are regularly filled, especially those in South and West Salem,” Stoops said.
He said all toys are donated locally, with the bulk going to the Salvation Army. They also partner with Project Able, a Salem-based nonprofit that delivers toys to local children and teens.
Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053.
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Ardeshir Tabrizian has covered criminal justice and housing for Salem Reporter since September 2021. As an Oregon native, his award-winning watchdog journalism has traversed the state. He has done reporting for The Oregonian, Eugene Weekly and Malheur Enterprise.
