Our FINAL total is: 428 donated toys going towards the Salvation Army Christmas toy program
We also raised $3,621 in donations - but it's not too late to give!
Click here to donate online and you can help ensure even more kids in Winnipeg get a gift this year.
A big thanks to everyone who came down and dropped off gifts and donated in person and online. Also, a very big thanks to the Kenaston Walmart (1665 Kenaston Blvd) for being so accommodating and giving of their time and space.
Last year around 8,500 kids in Winnipeg received Christmas presents thanks in part to your generosity. The need is expected to be even higher this year. You can still make an online donation to help the Salvation Army fill the shelves for their toy program this year.
A chance to win Paul Baloche & Newsboys tickets
If you dropped off a gift or donation and entered our draw, be sure to listen to the CHVN morning show powered by Westbrook Dental Centre on Monday morning. You could win Paul Baloche Christmas Worship Tour tickets or Newsboys World Revival Tour tickets.
About the Salvation Army Christmas toy program
Each year, a gymnasium in the downtown core transforms into a one-stop shop that allows local parents and caregivers to shop for Christmas gifts for their kids, and it's all free thanks to the generosity of Winnipeggers and the Salvation Army.
"The Salvation Army runs a Christmas toy program through our Weetamah location," Kristin Marand from the Salvation Army says. "It is located right in the core on Logan Ave., and we offer a number of services through there. But one of our biggest ones is our toy program at Christmas, and registration is open right now. So, if there are families that are having a hard time this Christmas and need a hand up, they can register with us, and we'll set them up with an appointment."
The toys come from other Winnipeggers who generously donate new, unwrapped toys. This year, CHVN and the Salvation Army are partnering to gather toys for the program with Holiday Heroes, a special three-day event from Thursday, November 21, through Saturday, November 23. CHVN on-air personalities and staff will be live on location at the Kenaston Walmart (1665 Kenaston Blvd.) from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, collecting your donations! Those who cannot make it down in person can also donate online to help more toys be purchased.
Check out this video tour from 2023 of the Salvation Army's Christmas toy store!
Families get to shop for free
Once families are registered for the program, they come down to Weetamah, where the team at the Salvation Army converts a gymnasium into a toy store each year leading up to Christmas.
The opportunity to come into the space and pick for themselves the gifts their children would like is one of the best gifts we can give anyone, Marand points out.
"It's nice to get a gift, it's nice to get help, but when you're able to have an actual shopping experience as well, there's a lot of dignity in that. It feels good all around, and who knows the kids better than the parents, right? They're going to know whether they're into superheroes, or colouring books and crafts, versus an outdoor activity or something like that."
Last year, the Salvation Army's toy store ensured that 8,500 kids woke up with gifts on Christmas morning. The year before that the number was 6,100. By partnering with CHVN, we're hoping to reach even more children this year. That's important because, as Marand points out, inflation has caused a strain on even more families.
Demand will increase significantly this year, and the CHVN family has the opportunity to help alleviate some of that demand. Please join us and help us bless local kids and families this year!
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