Salvation Army will provide Christmas gifts for 2,500 local children

The Salvation Army of the Midlands is working to make sure every child in need has a present to open Christmas morning.

Columbia, S.C. (WOLO) — The Salvation Army of the Midlands is working to make sure every child in need has a present to open Christmas morning. Thanks to the generosity of the community, those children will have several toys and gifts.

“All of the toy donations that have been given over the last few weeks, during our stuff-a-bus campaigns, and all the bins that have been around the community, are all brought here to this warehouse and bagged up for all the children,” said Emily Bedenbaugh, Chairwoman with the Salvation Army of the Midlands Board.

This Christmas, 2,500 children in the Midlands will wake up to presents from Santa.

“We’re just so pleased with how giving the community has been. Giving so many wonderful toys, bikes that we’ve had more of than ever before, and it just shows how much our community really cares about the children in need,” said Bedenbaugh.

Even though thousands of toys and gifts have been donated this year, there’s still a need for certain items.

“We’re always in need of clothing donations, and especially toy and clothing donations for older children. So that 8 to 12 year old range,” said Bedenbaugh.

Through the next week, all donations are welcome at the Cattle Barn at the Fairgrounds.

“It’s just so wonderful to come down to the Fairgrounds and see the bustling warehouse in action. Really is like Santa’s elves and workshop, making everything so wonderful for the children,” said Bedenbaugh.

“We decide to do this every year, just to help out the children who may not be able to have a Christmas. So we just want to make sure that every child gets at least something,” said Lanie Conway, an employee with Advanced Disposal.

Every child will be getting at least a few items. If you decide to donate, you might just get something out of it too.

“I do think that you feel the Christmas spirit when you’re doing for others especially. So I would encourage everybody to go play Santa and make Christmas brighter for families,” said Bedenbaugh.

You can bring any donation item, especially gifts for the older kids to the Fairgrounds. You can also volunteer to be an ‘elf’ and help pack and organize the gifts for the children.

There’s also one final Stuff-A-Bus this Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Walmart locations on Two Notch, Harbison and Garners Ferry.