Community Toy Store hailed a success

By Stefanie Donahue

Organizers are more than pleased with the outcome of this year’s Community Toy Store, which served 72 low-income families in Blaine and Birch Bay.

Sponsored by the Community Assistance Program (CAP), the program allows low-income parents to purchase up to two gifts for their child at a discount of 75 to 90 percent. It was established in Bellingham about a decade ago and was picked up by CAP this year.

More than 1,400 toys and 135 gift cards were donated by community members during the fall, said CAP board member Laura Vogee. The items were setup for sale at the Cost Cutter Shopping Center on December 13, 14 and 15 and a total of 189 children and teens received gifts as a result.

“We had over 130 volunteers helping in the last week and a half to get the toy store ready to go and then to run it the three days it was open,” Vogee said. “This does not include the Girl Scouts and their families that picked up toys from the collection boxes over the three-week collection period, or the students and families of Home Connection and North Bay Christ the King that made and decorated around 42 dozen cookies that went home with the parents after they shopped.”

CAP collected $1,526 in proceeds, which will be split and donated to the Blaine Food Bank’s general fund and The Bridge Community Hope Center’s emergency assistance fund for families and individuals who have crisis needs.

“We’re just totally amazed,” Vogee said. “The families that shopped were so grateful.”

Several toys were leftover and CAP will do its best to accommodate any last-minute needs, Vogee said. Otherwise, the items will be put in storage and used again next year.

“This community is awesome,” she said. “We’re just thankful to be a part of it.”

To inquire about the Community Toy Store, email toystore@blainecap.org.