Record-breaking year for South Portland Toy Drive

Santa at the South Portland Toy Drive courtesy photo/ Laurel LaBauve

SOUTH PORTLAND – The 12th annual South Portland Toy Drive recently concluded with resounding success breaking previous records by providing gifts to 480 children in the South Portland community. The achievement, said organizers, reflects the collaborative efforts of a dedicated team, community volunteers, and generous supporters who came together to ensure that every child, especially those facing challenging circumstances, experienced the joy of the holiday season.

At the core of the toy drive’s success are April Cohen, Jennifer Christensen, and Laurel LaBauve, the driving forces behind the initiative. They work in tandem with the high school’s Community Partnership Team, creating a group that handles the planning and organization of the event’s details.

The scale of this year’s outreach serves as a reminder of the challenges many families in the community face.

“We were able to provide gifts to 480 children this year, a new record, but obviously one that highlights how many people are struggling in our community” LaBauve said. “And on a sad note, we also saw quite a few kids whose families are homeless or living in their cars. These kids have an even greater need for the warm clothing we provide, now that the winter months are here.”

A critical aspect of the toy drive is the extensive network of volunteers and adopters who contribute their time and resources. With 53 volunteers involved in shopping, sorting toys, and distributing gifts, along with 300 adopters who personally selected gifts for families, the event showcased community collaboration.

“Without their support, this wouldn’t be possible,” LaBauve said,

The distribution process takes place at the Community Center, with parents picking up gifts discreetly packaged in black bags to maintain the surprise for the children. LaBauve said the reactions of parents during the process are “nothing short of heartwarming.”

One parent expressed profound gratitude: “We really didn’t know what we were going to be able to do for her for Christmas and we have been so stressed out and that’s not what Christmas is about. You guys are amazing people who go above and beyond. There’s no words to express how grateful me and my family are. Thank you for all you do.” Another parent said, “You make a bright Christmas and New Year full of joy in our hearts.” And another family said, “Thank you for such a wonderful gift. seeing my children’s smiles when they see this and even more so when they know that they will receive gifts for Christmas. priceless! I don’t have the exact words to say what I feel in my heart right now, God bless you always and give you good health.”

Toys at the South Portland toy drive courtesy photo/ Laurel LaBauve

The success of the toy drive extends beyond the number of gifts distributed. LaBauve said unexpected highlights, such as the “overwhelming generosity” of donors and a specific focus on ensuring teens receive adequate support, added depth to this year’s initiative.

“We always worry that teens don’t get enough support during the drive,” she said. “So when a woman asked to ‘adopt’ 10 teenagers, we were blown away. And everyone else that asked what was needed, we asked them to include teen gifts. This year the teens are well taken care of.”

Toy drive organizers said they hope that the impact on the South Portland community will be lasting. They aim for the children to “cherish warm memories” of the holidays, much like April Cohen, a co-lead of the toy drive, who said she received gifts as a child and “still remembers the blue coat” she received.

courtesy photo/ Laurel LaBauve

Collaborative efforts played a crucial role in the success of the toy drive said LaBauve. Various entities, including the police department and fire department, also contributed. Erin Curry from the police department, along with firefighters, participated in the drive.

Organizers remain committed to continuous improvement. An after-action review is conducted annually to identify opportunities for enhancement. Organizers said they begin planning for next year’s toy drive right after this one finishes and look for opportunities to improve the process.

The organization said that following the effort, many have expressed interest in volunteering in the future. In addition, the group said that there was significant increase in community engagement in 2023.