HAMILTON — Toys for Tots will not take place in Missoula or Ravalli counties this year after a long-time coordinator stepped down.
However, families in need can still get support through local programs, and there are places that are taking gift donations.
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While a motorcycle might not fit under a Christmas tree, one Ravalli County nonprofit is working to make sure that no kid goes without presents this year.
Without Toys for Tots in Bitterroot this season, Riding for Ravalli Kids has seen an increase in those needing help and support for their organization.
"We've been reached out to a lot more by local businesses. How can we help? Can we have toy boxes? Can we do fundraisers for you or toy donations for you?" the organization's Brandy Hinman said.
Parents can sign their children up for gifts on the non-profit's toy drive website.
"We both used to adopt families ourselves, and so we wanted to figure out a way to facilitate getting, you know, families adopted,” Michelle Borkholder with Riding for Ravalli Kids told MTN.
Names are kept confidential.
"Everybody needs help sometimes. Everybody needs a helping hand. We're just here to help provide that."
People looking to sponsor kids can do so with ease.
"Go onto our website, and it'll tell you how many children there are, what their ages are, and then they just click the application for it, and we send them the information of what they want to have for Christmas," Hinman explained.
The program has been spreading joy to families in the Bitterroot for four years.
"Every year, we've increased more and more,” Borkholder said.
"I think last year we had 150, 160 families,” Hinman noted.
It’s something that's rewarding for the organizers.
"As a child, I was receiving assistance from programs too,” Hinman said. “So, it's great to be in a position where we can facilitate the community helping take care of our own community and do this for other kids."
"As a single mom, the first couple of years as a single mom, I also had assistance, and so to be able to give back just feels amazing,” Borkholder said.
Click here to learn more about Riding for Ravalli Kids.
