Mothers Helping Mothers strengthens its toy drive effort

This holiday season is a time when many wallets are being tightened.

Mothers Helping Mothers is an organization that hopes to step up what it is offering to the community. 

Last year, the nonprofit served 300 families during its Toy Day, and this year, it hopes to serve 350 when the event, held for its families, takes place on Dec. 17. 

According to donations coordinator Barbara Braun, the nonprofit is looking to help meet families' financial needs after the government shutdown, and notes that while 350 families are being served, over 1,000 qualified for Toy Day.

"Families... used up their Christmas fund to pay for food, so now we're able to help alleviate the stress for at least 350 families by bringing Christmas to the kids," she said.

Photo by Ian Swaby

Mothers Helping Mothers centers on the goal of providing necessities, resources and support to families in need, who have children under 18 or a current pregnancy, in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Founded 35 years ago by a pair of mothers, it has grown in size since then, to the point of owning its own building and store, offering items to the families it serves, free with certain quantity limits. 

The organization is currently performing a construction renovation to add 1,800 square feet of space to the facility, having maximized its usage of the current space. 

Braun says the toys are about more than Christmas, but also children's' ability to be confident in themselves as they move forward, including through steps like entering the workforce. 

"It's about their self-esteem, and helping them step up, and helping give them that lift," she said.

Before last year, Mothers Helping Mothers had offered two toys per child, said Braun, but last year, due to donation levels, could offer three per child. 

It's a number she hopes to maintain, despite the increase in families, and that means they will need well over 4,000 toys, she says. 

"We're very lucky that we have multiple businesses in Sarasota and Manatee that are collecting toys, multiple organizations that are doing toy drives and toy collections. Neighborhoods are coming together," she said.

Courtesy image

Nonetheless, she said local organizations the nonprofit relies on are struggling with their toy donations, while she also hopes to see more frequent Amazon deliveries about twice a day rather than once a day. 

At Toy Day, families have the chance to claim toys, bikes, gift cards and stocking stuffers for ages that range from newborns to 18, and Braun says items of all kinds are being sought. 

Steve Bierwirth, President of Bob Boast Volkswagen, is once again offering a portion of the dealership to host Toy Day, while Kathy King, of King of Events, creates the bike drive, with a goal of 200 bikes, up from 150 last year.

"This is our biggest volunteer day of the the entire year, because they just have so much fun filling Christmas wishes," Braun said.