Several local Christmas charities providing toys to children need items and donations by Thursday or Friday. Listed below are the agencies working to provide a Merry Christmas to children and how to help.
Salvation Army Angel Tree Program
With only six days left before the deadline for all Salvation Army Angel Tree gifts to be returned, there are still a few forgotten angels yet to be adopted.
The program provides toys and Christmas gifts for more than 800 children each year.
Unfortunately, each year there are angels who are either not adopted, gifts that are not returned and gifts brought after the deadline. These are forgotten angels.
Monday is the last day to adopt an angel as part of the annual program. The deadline to return the gifts is Friday.
The Salvation Army plans accordingly to provide gifts for forgotten angels and does everything possible to be sure that no child is left out.
Slips with information about local families, children or seniors and their Christmas gift wish lists are hung on the Angel Tree at the mall and others at various businesses and churches.
The local Salvation Army hosts an Angel Tree each year at Central Mall as part of its fundraising run-up to Christmas.
A new way to support the Angel Tree this year is through Walmart Registry for Good where donors can purchase items online that will be delivered directly to the Salvation Army. Donors can search for the Salvation Army Texarkana at walmartangeltree.com.
Volunteers are needed throughout December to help manage Angel Tree locations and work to sort and distribute items received.
Sometimes, it is necessary to purchase additional items to supplement the gifts received through the Angel Tree program.
For more information about adopting an Angel, or current volunteer opportunities please call The Salvation Army at (870) 774-2701 or visit us at 400 E 4th St, Texarkana, AR 71854. Check out other ways you can give or get involved at www.salvationarmytexas.org/Texarkana/.
Domestic Violence Prevention Santa Store
Domestic Violence Prevention plans to serve about 200 people through the Santa Store, which will be set up in a secure location in the days before Christmas. The deadline for toys and donations is Friday.
The program is available to DVP clients who've stayed at the emergency shelter or have been served through the organization's outreach program.
There are several ways for people to donate, including mailing a check to DVP, 424 Spruce St., Texarkana, Texas 75501. All financial donations will be used to fill gaps in the items available in the Santa Store, officials say.
Toy donations can be dropped off at the office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday or from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. Toy donations need to be in by Friday to allow time to prepare the Santa Store for clients.
Several online options also exist:
Amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/ZMLPSV3NS8QT/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex
Paypal at paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=BKAB34TG2HJZL
Needed items include bicycles, skateboards, craft sets, art supplies, fishing poles and tackle, portable chargers, cologne and body wash sets, Paw Patrol toys, PJ Masks, Lego sets and more.
For more information call DVP at 903-794-4000. For anyone needing to escape a violent situation, call DVP's 24-hour crisis line at 903-793-HELP (4357).
Toys For Tots
The Marines at the local U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Center are still looking forward to bringing smiles to kids' faces - and they know just how to do it. Toys and donations are needed by Thursday.
The center is collecting boxes of many varieties of gifts for needy children during their annual Toys For Tots-Christmas Charities.
The marines here start collecting toys in boxes they set up throughout Texarkana. They are collected throughout the year, starting in January and running up to Thursday this year.
People can come by these boxes wherever they're stationed, and just drop toys in them.
The Marines then go by and pickup each box and deliver it back to the center. From there, parents can come by the center and pick toys out of the boxes between Thursday and Dec. 18. to give to children.
Toys of all kinds are collected each year, usually for children ranging in age from infants up to age 12.
The local marine center collects and distributes an average of about 10,000 toys each year, however, because of COVID-19 this year, the number of collections are lagging because of COVID-19, so it been a struggle.
Parents needing toys for their kids, can register and apply for toys online at the center, after which they will receive an email from the center showing a letter of approval, which they can bring to the center when they come to pick out toys.
People can also go online to find out where toy collection boxes are located throughout the city, and donate toys.
For those wanting to participate or need more information, go online to texarkana-tx.toysfortots.org or call 903-490-2735, or 571-361-2631.
Salvation Army Kettle Drive
The Salvation Army has their red kettles out seeking donations from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays between through Christmas Eve.
The annual Red Kettle Campaign is one of the Army's primary fundraising efforts. Every dollar collected in the red kettles supports the wide range of local services and programs including feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, offering emergency financial assistance, providing toys to disadvantaged children and hosting after-school programs.
The kettles and bell ringers are out from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturdays through Christmas Eve.
Volunteer ringers and donations are needed.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, all bell ringers will also be provided with daily Personal Protective Equipment safety kits including a branded mask, disposable gloves, apron and disinfectant. Strict safety protocols have been developed ensuring the health and safety of all potential donors and bell ringers.
There are digital-age options, too, for donations.
Donors can also give money via cellphone by texting KETTLES to 91999, and they can also donate online by visiting salvationarmytexas.org/texarkana/ and following the link labeled DONATE NOW.
This year's local Red Kettle fundraising goal is $85,000.