HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — It’s a story that’s been felt and told several times this year: times are tough on so many people, and finding ways to make ends meet is becoming more and more challenging.
Christmas right around the corner doesn’t make this any easier. Parents want to give their children a memorable holiday but just don’t have the room in their budget to buy gifts.
“What am I gonna get?” Jack, a child shopping in a local toy store, said. “I wonder, is it gonna be fun?”
Kids everywhere feel just like Jack. They’re eager to unwrap their presents, hoping their list was checked off and their dream toys are under the tree. But for low-income families, it’s hard to make that dream a reality.
The National Retail Federation predicts that consumers will spend over $900 on the holidays this year and are likely to spend a week’s salary on Christmas. According to a study by LendingTree, in 2024, one in three American households is considered financially insecure. This combination of high spending and low income is not feasible for working-class families.
That’s where Christmas Charities Year Round, or CCYR, comes into the picture.
Celebrating 75 years, the nonprofit is continuing its near century-long mission: make sure everyone is taken care of on Christmas. The organization collects gently used clothing, new toys and monetary donations to support low-income families in the area.
CCYR supports over 650 kids this year, making their Christmas wishes come true. They give 10 to 12 gifts to each child, exciting the child and easing the mind of parents, knowing their kid has gifts to open Christmas morning.
“We’re going to help every kid that comes in,” CCYR Executive Director Beth Haynes said. “We’re going to help them have a great Christmas.”
Financial losses have been affecting people across the board, making CCYR need your help now more than ever.
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“For the most part, there’s a few events that we’ve gotten more from, but the majority has been a bit less,” Haynes said. “And I think it’s because everybody’s seeing the impact we’re all struggling or, you know, people are getting worried, so they’re not sure how to react.”
The community fuels CCYR’s mission: they rely entirely on donations. Every dollar they receive is turned around to buy more toys, and every toy they get will end up in the hands of a child in need.
“The community is great,” Haynes said. “I mean, we can’t do this without the community. Every toy we get is donated by the community. We do go out and purchase toys. All that money is donated by the community.”
The group will start distributing gifts the week of December 16. They are looking for one final push of donations. If you are going Black Friday shopping, keep your eyes peeled for deals on toys to donate and have a hand in making a child’s Christmas dreams come true.
“Whether all those gifts came from the Dollar Tree or you spent a bunch of money, the kids aren’t going to know in the long run,” Haynes said. “Because everything’s just so magical to them. And that’s what’s so important: the kids.”
Donations are taken Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at their location in Huntsville.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
