All of Central Oregon is invited to bring holiday magic to youth experiencing foster care with three unique ways to donate and give gifts, Nov. 13 thru Dec.13, 2023.

REDMOND, Ore., Nov. 9, 2023 —Tik tok…can you hear the clock? It’s holiday toy drive time with Every Child Central Oregon (ECCO)! The toy and gift drive, which kicks off November 13 and runs through *December 13, helps ensure over 255 children across Crook, Jefferson, and Deschutes County, including those from The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, experience the magic and joy of the holidays. The region-wide collaborative effort is one of ECCO’s signature initiatives designed to help bridge the gap between community generosity and children in need, specifically youth experiencing foster care.

“This toy drive is unique in that there are multiple ways people can give, making it convenient and easy to support local youth experiencing foster care,” says Brie Rogers, ECCO’s programs director. “We’re looking for toys and presents for youth of all ages and also want to remind people that this includes collecting gifts or gift cards for teenagers, who often get overlooked during holiday drives. That said, everyone is invited to be a part of this heartwarming mission, giving to whomever they wish and in a way that suits them best.”

This year, ECCO offers three options for holiday gift giving:

#1: Shop ECCO’s Amazon Gift Registry: Stress-Free Shopping with a Purpose
Enjoy the convenience of online shopping and the joy of making a child’s wish come true!

• Visit ECCO’s curated Amazon gift registry at https: bit.ly/eccoholidaygifts.
• Choose from a list of toys on children’s holiday wish lists this year. 
• Complete your purchase, and the gift will be shipped directly to ECCO.

#2: Local Toy Donation: Handpicked Gifts with a Personal Touch
Partake in the tradition of selecting that perfect gift, or purchasing it online, and drop it off in person.

• Purchase a new toy of your choice.
•  Bring it, unwrapped, to one of our generous local toy drive donation partner sites across Central Oregon, listed below. *All toys donated in person must be dropped off by December 5.

Bend:

• Premiere Property Group: 25 NW Minnesota Ave, Mon-Fri., 8am-5pm
• Hixon Mortgage: 606 NW Arizona Ave Suite 100, Mon-Fri., 9am-5pm
• State Farm Jessica Anderson: 63130 Lancaster Street Suite 150, Mon-Fri., 9am-5pm
• Total Real Estate Group, 2900 NW Clearwater Dr Ste 320 Bend, Mon-Fri., 9am-5pm
• R&H Construction, 61426 American Lane Suite 100 Bend, Mon-Fri., 8:30am-4pm·  Bend Nazarene Church, 1270 NE 27th Street Bend, Mon-Fri., 9am-2pm

Redmond:

• Latino Community Association: 636 NW Cedar Ave, Mon-Thurs., 10am-5pm
• First Interstate Bank: 154 SW 6^th Street, Mon-Fri., 9am-5pm
• Guild Mortgage: 3835 SW 21^st Street STE 104, Mon-Fri., 8am-5pm
• Feast Food Company, 546 NW 7^th St Redmond, Thur-Mon., 11am-8pm·  Mountain View Fellowship Church, 545 NW 7th St, Mon-Thurs., 9am-12pm

Sunriver:

•  Sunriver Police Department: 57455 Abbot Drive, Mon-Fri., 8:30am-4pm 

Sisters:

• First Interstate Bank: 272 East Main Street, Mon-Fri., 9am-5pm

Terrebonne:

• Mariposa Real Estate, 8222 N Hwy 97 Suite 102 Terrebonne, Mon-Fri., 8:30am-4:30pm

#3: Make a Financial Contribution: Making Every Last-Minute Wish Come True
Some children come into foster care close to the holidays. After most shopping events have concluded and our traditional wish list program has passed, ECCO still endeavors to ensure they wake up to holiday joy. Your financial contributions enable ECCO to:

• Quickly buy gifts for these children, ensuring no child is left out.
• Address immediate needs and provide support throughout the festive period.

To choose this giving option, simply make your generous and 100% tax-deductible donation today at: https://everychildcentraloregon-bloom.kindful.com/?campaign=1277522.

Every Child Central Oregon wants to remind anyone and everyone who wishes to support this toy drive that every gift, toy, and donation remains 100% local, directly impacting the lives of children in Central Oregon.

“It’s quite heartbreaking when a child gets left behind during the holiday season,” Rogers says. “That, compounded with all the challenges surrounding foster care, can be especially difficult for these youth and the families trying to support them,” Rogers says. “This holiday season, we hope everyone will join us in transforming holiday wishes into beautiful realities. Your support ensures that every child in our community wakes up to a holiday filled with joy, warmth, and hope.”

More toy and gift drive information is available at: https://everychildoregon.org/centraloregon/give/holiday-giving-2023/.

Media Inquiries/More Information: Brieanna Rogers, ECCO’s Programs Manager, 541-321-2798, b.rogers@everychildcentraloregon.org.

About Every Child Central Oregon (ECCO)

Founded in 2019, Every Child Central Oregon mobilizes community to uplift children and families impacted by foster care in Central Oregon. ECCO is its own 501c3 nonprofit while affiliated with Every Child Oregon, Every Child Central Oregon is based in Redmond, Ore., from where it relentlessly fights for local children in crisis and commits to finding safe, nurturing places where they can flourish. Serving Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson Counties, and Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. ECCO provides radical hospitality with a posture of humility and care for youth in foster homes, as well as its families and partners working in child welfare. Believing in a hopeful future for its clients, ECCO connects individuals, businesses, families and faith communities with acute needs, helping the vulnerable to rise up and achieve resiliency in spite of crisis.