BALTIMORE — With Christmas one week away, a nonprofit is working to alleviate some of the holiday stress by giving away over 15,000 toys to families in need.
The non-profit 4MyCiTy is about making sure families don't go hungry and now they're stepping up to make sure children don't go without gifts this holiday season.
"So all year round the ones that have participated in our food distribution programs we already know these families are struggling to make ends meet. So they can come up all through the day,” said Christopher Dipnarine, who is the founder of 4MyCiTy.
It's part of their holiday gift giveaway where, for three days, registered families bring their kids to pick out four toys and a backpack filled with fresh school supplies, socks and a couple treats for later.
"There's candy, we hid it in there so the parents wouldn't pull it out,” said Dipnarine.
It's the fifth year of the giveaway, with plans to distribute 15,000 toys to over 500 kids in the Baltimore area. Dipnarine said toys and supplies are donated by organizations as well as purchased with money raised within the nonprofit. Bringing a new level of joy each year.
"It really warms my heart, it makes me very emotional especially this time of the year,” said Dipnarine.
"(I'm) just happy, happy to see them. But they want everything,” said Patricia Santan, who has three children ages 2, 5 and 8. She said without help from 4MyCiTy they wouldn't have much under the tree this year.
"Right now it's too difficult, it's too expensive, everything. So this is a nice thing they are doing today,” said Santan.
Distribution will run through Wednesday from 10 AM to 7 in the evening and Dipnarine said people can still sign up to be part of the program, either by walking in or doing so online at 4mycity.us.
"My message is simple, be kind. Everybody out there is struggling with something. If you can just do something good for one person, then that's all it takes,” said Dipnarine.
