CLEARWATER, Fla. — Christmas can be a challenging time for our servicemen and women in the US military, making sure their kids wake up to presents under the tree. So, a non-profit organization out of Clearwater called Operation Toy Soldier has been collecting toys to help meet the need.
Dozens of volunteers helped to sort thousands of toy donations this week inside Veterans Funeral Care.
“What I love about this charity is we are not asking for money. We are asking for a toy,” said founder Jim Rudolph.
When Rudolph started the non-profit more than a decade ago, they had one single collection barrel, and the generosity just kept growing.
“We started getting phone calls from businesses saying, ‘Hey, can we have a barrel? We want to collect toys too,' so it’s just gotten bigger and bigger and bigger,” said Rudolph.
This year, more than 30 Tampa Bay businesses collected toys.
“Well, it’s very humbling; there are still a lot of people out there that know how hard it is to be a soldier. Military life is not easy, and it doesn’t pay; it’s not at the top of the pay scale,” said Rudolph.
Volunteer Jennifer Jones knows firsthand how difficult the holidays can be trying to raise a child while on active duty.
“2022, I came back from deployment, and I arrived in the States on December 17. Not a lot of time to shop, so Jim was very kind and allowed me the opportunity to get some toys because after being gone for a year, I don’t want to go shop; I want to be with my family,” said Jones.
Then there is volunteer Stacy Adams. Her husband is an army veteran.
“Every little bit helps, you know, so if it will save you a couple of bucks, so maybe it will help you put food on the table, so just wanting to help and be as supportive as you can for these people who give so much to us,” said Adams.
This Christmas, more families than ever are in need following hurricanes Helene and Milton.
“Whole apartment complexes where airmen and soldiers were staying in South Tampa, FEMA has condemned, and they are living in FEMA hotel rooms,” said Rudolph.
However, one thing the storms didn’t destroy was the spirit of giving.
“And honestly, I was expecting a down year just because of so much need out there in so many different areas, but our people have come through,” said Rudolph.
A state report says hundreds of frail elderly nursing home residents were stacked side by side, head to toe in a small church with no working air conditioning or refrigerator during Hurricane Helene.
