It’s time once again for the annual Toys for Joy and Jerry Woods Holiday Engine programs to provide food and toys for those in need during the holiday season.
Kent-based Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority, Puget Sound Fire Fighters (IAFF Local 1747) and Puget Sound Firefighters Foundation announced the kickoff Nov. 19 for the 2024 programs.
Toys for Joy is an annual program where new, unwrapped toys for children up to 12 years of age are collected, sorted, wrapped and delivered to local food banks and outreach programs for distribution to families in need in local communities within Puget Sound Fire’s response area, which includes Kent, Covington, Maple Valley, Tukwila and SeaTac.
In addition to toys, nonperishable food and monetary donations (cash and checks made out to Toys for Joy) are also accepted and used to purchase toys and necessities for local families. Community members can drop off donations at any of Puget Sound Fire’s 17 fire stations. Donations will be collected through Friday, Dec. 20.
Puget Sound Fire will host community toy sorting and wrapping events at Station 75 in Kent throughout December to prepare the gifts for delivery to local food banks. These events are open to the public, and due to their popularity, reservations are required.
For dates and reservation information, visit pugetsoundfire.org/toysforjoy. The public can call the holiday program at 206-396-0765 or email holidayprograms@pugetsoundfire.org for more information.
The Jerry Woods Holiday Engine will visit several Covington, Kent and Maple Valley neighborhoods on Dec. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21. The engine will be collecting food, gifts, and monetary donations that will go to the local food banks for distribution.
The Holiday Engine neighborhood schedules will be listed at holidayengine.org. Holiday engines will also visit neighborhoods in SeaTac and Tukwila on Dec. 8 and in Kent on Dec. 12 with routes to be posted on the Puget Sound Fire website.
Community support
The annual Toys for Joy and Holiday Engine programs only exist because of the generous donations of the local community, according to Puget Sound Fire. A link to donate to Toys for Joy through the Puget Sound Firefighters Foundation 501(c)(3) can be found by visiting pugetsoundfire.ejoinme.org/toysforjoydonations or by texting TOYS4JOY to 366283.
Both programs will collect donations through Dec. 20 and then will focus on distribution efforts. In addition, Puget Sound Fire will distribute holiday gift baskets to approximately 45 families in need.
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