Food bank to give out $100K worth of toys in first ever toy drive

FARMINGTON, N.M – With Christmas just 11 days away, one New Mexico food bank received a special delivery that will bring more than 1,000 kids in the Four Corners holiday cheer.

ECHO Food Bank in Farmington has transformed into Santa’s workshop, 

“We focus on food and that’s great, and absolutely a necessity, especially this time of year. But what a great added benefit to give them a little extra, so we get to provide them with toys this year,” said CEO for ECHO Food Bank, Nanette Pinckney.

10,000 toys are getting packed up to give to the community, for ECHO’s first ever toy drive.

“It actually just fell into our lap, Save the Children contacted us and said, ‘hey we have some books and toys we would like to donate would you be interested?’” said Pinckney. 

The timing couldn’t be more perfect, 

“It’s the holidays and just an awesome time for those parents who may not be able to afford otherwise, to be able to come through and get some toys that will hopefully make those kiddos really happy on Christmas day,” Pinckney added.

Especially when inflation could leave a few things on your Christmas list unchecked.

“There is an increased need in general just across the board whether its food, rental assistance, utilities assistance, this is going to be a great opportunity with the toys and the books,” Pinckney said. “There is no costs for these toys its they just come they tell us the ages of their kiddos and the household, and we load them up with what we can.”

And getting $100,000 worth of toys ready to distribute, couldn’t be done without Santa’s helpers, 

“Volunteers are critical to our organization and getting these things packed. I mean we had families of volunteers come out and helping with this, without them, we probably wouldn’t have them ready,” Pinckney said.

The toy drive will be on Saturday at ECHO Food Bank from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s first come, first served, and there are no eligibility requirements.