Annual 911 Police Toy Drive in need of donations

PHOENIX (FOX 10) - It's an operation that keeps on giving and shows children the comfort and safety our first responders provide for them.

The 911 Police Toy Drive is just a little over a week away, but many of these shelves are still empty.

Backpacks, sports toys, scarves and makeup kits are just a few of the items needed but still missing on the shelves of the toy drive warehouse.

"We need the things that a child can go back to school with and not just use, but it gives them something to keep them out of trouble," W. Steven Martin said. "It gives them something to put self-pride and 'wow, the police and the fire helped me.'"

It may be a rare opportunity for kids to interact with first responders in a non-emergency, but through the toy drive, passionate officers and firefighters are able to deliver these gifts within the community to children in need and change the way a child sees men and women in uniform.

"So if you're a little boy or a little girl and you see a police car pull up... 'what a surprise! The police brought me Christmas!'" W. Steven Martin said. "So you can make a difference, you can change the way not just that child lives, but how that officer feels about finally somebody really said, 'I appreciate what you do. We are your friends. We're here to help and here's a toy to make you feel better.'"

911 Police Toy Drive
911toydrive.com