Even in a pandemic, many familiar hardships drive parents to the Toy Fund

Many of the families asking for help from the Press Herald Toy Fund say it was the pandemic that disrupted their lives and left them unable to buy gifts for their children at the holidays.

Some of them lost jobs to business closures, while others had to stop working or reduce hours to care for children no longer in school.

But, even amid the historic pandemic, families also are struggling because of the same hardships that have brought parents to the toy fund for 71 years: divorces, domestic violence, injuries, illnesses and evictions, to name a few.

Whatever the reason, they all want give their children some joy and sense of normalcy despite their struggles.

“I’m requesting help from the toy fund because I’m unable to work right now,” writes a single mother of three in the midcoast. “I was in the hospital for two months and had 7 abdominal surgeries during that time.

“The only income we have is my son’s disability check which is $704 monthly. (He) has Down Syndrome. I’m afraid without programs like the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund, I wouldn’t be able to provide Christmas presents at all,” she wrote. “Thank you for your consideration.”

Donors to the fund will make sure her children, and thousands of others, don’t go without a reason to smile at the holidays.

As in recent years, the toy fund experienced a big bump in donations on Giving Tuesday, said Kathleen Meade, the charity’s director.

Meade has not had a chance to process all of those donations yet, but her cell phone was pinging all day Tuesday as donations flowed in through the toy fund’s website, she said. The names of all those donors will appear here in the coming days.

• THE PRESS HERALD TOY FUND in the Spirit of Bruce Roberts uses donations from readers to provide toys to thousands of Maine children who might otherwise not receive holiday gifts because of hardships faced by their parents. Now in its 71st year, the fund is accepting applications for toys from needy families in York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Androscoggin, Lincoln and Knox counties.

• DONATIONS to help buy the toys can be made at pressheraldtoyfund.org or by writing checks to the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund and mailing them to the fund at P.O. Box 7310, Portland, ME 04112.

• FOR MORE INFORMATION, call 791-6672 or go to: pressheraldtoyfund.org.

TODAY’S DONORS:

Maynard & Judith Bean  $30
Merry Christmas! Phil & Diane  $100
Merry Xmas from the grandkids – Keili Curtis $25, Eliza Wright $25, Nicolas Ham $25 $75
Carlton & Joan Leach  $200
Lesley Ewald  $100
In loving memory of my parents, Bob & Bertha White, and my sister, Deborah Preble, from Delphine Palmer $60
Anonymous  $100
In memory of Slim & Shorty  $100
Dianne Maskewitz & Scott McMullen  $100
Katherine Wright  $25
Pamela Ferland  $100
Pop  $40
Good for you! $100
In loving memory of Darlene & Larry Holston – Merry Christmas!  $100
In honor of our grandchildren, Piper, Scarlett, Dylan, Camdyn, Memphis & Iris from Grammy & Grampy Floyd  $75
Claudia Sienko  $25
Glenice Sibley  $200
Anonymous  $50
Anonymous  $900
Kathy Napoleone  $100
Joshua & Kelly Sink  $50
Sending love and very warmest wishes, Sarah  $50
Neal Perry  $20
Barry Gleason & Maryellen Kennedy  $100
Anonymous  $50
Larry Pixley & Robin Ratcliffe  $200
Merry Christmas to all the children! Sam & Marge Dibiase  $50
Merry Christmas! $50
Merry Xmas for the children!  $30
Hope you have a great holiday!!!  $40
Anonymous  $100
In memory of Lori Fletcher  $100
Kevin P Brown  $50
Anonymous  $100
Anonymous  $30
Paul & Katie Dexter  $100
Tina Oddleifson & Tony Lawless  $50
In loving memory of Bob & Gil Carion  $200
In memory of our son, Jonathan Michael Sawyer, from Peter and Joy  $200
Happy Holidays!! Celia, Molly, Finn, Clara, Grace, Easton and Gavin  $100
In memory of my brother, Peter Moore of Rosemont – Jack  $100
Anonymous  $300
Sons of Amvets Post 2  $100
Steve & Bobbie Triggs  $50
In memory of my Dad, Ronnie the Barber, from Sandee & Joe  $50
George and Deanna Hunter  $100
Thinking of Bob, Betty, Miles and Maddy  $200
Delilah  $50
In memory of our parents, Ed & Ruby Lothrop, and Joseph & Gladys Labbe, from Richard & Barbara Labbe  $50
Merry Christmas and to a bright and healthy 2021! Rick & Janet Wolf  $50
In memory of Dorothy Rice  $30
Rosann Bennett  $100
Anonymous  $100
Tina  $40
Anonymous  $50
Merry Christmas! Betts Fitzgerald  $250
In memory of Harlan, Shirley, Uncle Bill, Jay and AP, from Linda & Dan  $50
Anonymous $40
In loving memory of Katie Dykes  $500
Anonymous  $100
Merry Christmas!!  $50
Anonymous  $100
Will and Sam Beal  $100
Mary Chris Semrow  $100
Anonymous  $50
Let’s help the children find joy on Christmas day! David  $200
Anonymous  $100
In honor of our children, Katie, Lucy, and Matt who bring so much joy to us!  $100