Salvation Army, Marine Corps League distribute hundreds of toys, food boxes

The gym of the Tamaqua Salvation Army was filled with hundreds of toys, food boxes, and The Tamaqua Salvation Army and Schuylkill Carbon Marine Corps League held their second distribution of food and toys of the holiday season Monday at the Tamaqua Salvation Army. Both these organizations work together to provide food and many toys to deserving families located in Carbon and Eastern Schuylkill County.

Families were required to show proof of low income or need prior to receive assistance at either of the distributions. The Tamaqua Salvation Army helped almost 300 families receive food boxes, hams, candy canes, and Angel Tree gifts, while the Schuylkill Carbon Marine Corps League also provided bags of Toys For Tots. Some volunteers also provided their time to help distribute all the items.

Some of the volunteers that helped were students from the Tamaqua High School Marketing Class, Tamaqua Salvation Army volunteers, Marines from the Schuylkill Carbon Marine Corps League, Tamaqua Councilman Stephen Tertel, past Tamaqua Police Chief George Woodward and others. Their first food and Toys For Tots distribution was held last week in Lehighton that helped over 1,700 local kids and 567 local families.

A number of bikes were also given out by both organizations. The total amount of families helped during both local distributions is just under 700 families, while the total amount of children receiving toys is over 2,000. Tamaqua Salvation Army Captain Joyce Thornton and Schuylkill Carbon Marine Corps League Toys For Tots coordinator Cheryl Laub both stressed their extreme appreciation for all the supporters, contributors, and volunteers from the community that made this possible to help so many families for the holidays.