SARASOTA, Fla. — The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office is kicking off their 5th Holiday Toy Drive for children in the Guardian ad Litem program.
On Monday, Sarasota Memorial Hospital delivered a 14-foot tall Christmas tree to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.
The tree is the collection point for their Fifth Annual Holiday Toy Drive.
"A lot of these children, the majority of them, would not have a Christmas or holiday season at all without the toy drive that we do here," said Kurt Hoffman, Sarasota County Sheriff.
There are currently more than 1,300 children from throughout Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect and as such, appointed a Guardian ad Litem.
Because the children range in age from newborn to 18 years old with varying personal needs, the sheriff’s office has chosen to focus the holiday initiative on toys and gift cards.
People are asked to refrain from donating clothing or stuffed animals and to make sure all donations are new and unwrapped.
The initiative begins Wednesday, December 1, and continues until Sunday, December 12.
People can deliver donations to the agency’s headquarters located at 6010 Cattleridge Boulevard, Sarasota, every day between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
