Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:
The Mount Prospect Fire Department Toys for Kids Program enjoyed another successful year in 2017, thanks to the generosity of the Mount Prospect community. Mount Prospect families who need a helping hand are served by this program, relieving some of the stress and financial burden they are facing at this time of year and making the holidays brighter for them.
Each year, Human Services Department staff review the financial assessments that qualify the children and families to participate in the program. Residents and businesses were invited to drop off new, unwrapped toys or gift cards to any Mount Prospect fire station. Fire department personnel and volunteers help to sort and prepare gift bags for the families.
The families were invited to Fire Station 14 on December 16 for a chance to meet Santa and pick up their gifts. Each family received a bag full of age appropriate toys. Over 300 children from 125 families were served by the program this year. Mount Prospect firefighters and staff from the Human Services Department served cookies and hot chocolate.
The fire department conducts the Toys for Kids Program each year, with toy and gift card donations being accepted from November through the first week of December. The toy distribution usually occurs the second Saturday of December. This is the 21st year the program has been in effect.
