“Toys for Hope,” a local organization, brings holiday pleasure to families impacted by Helene

Salem, Virginia – Presents aren’t the main focus of the holiday season, but they certainly make it enjoyable for the children.

Presents are the last thing on the minds of parents in North Carolina and Tennessee. Attempting to return to some semblance of routine following Hurricane Helene is the current focus.

“Even though we have already made three journeys, we haven’t thoroughly explored the destruction. Chris Dickerson stated, “But we have enough in, we could see what was going on.”

“In terms of vacations, it won’t be the same for two to three years, at most. “This is a very tragic situation,” Scott Butcher remarked.

U.S. Foods employs Scott Butcher and Chris Dickerson as drivers. After multiple visits to Avery County, North Carolina, they have witnessed the destruction.

They were motivated to give the local children a little holiday magic even if they don’t have reindeer.

Dickerson claimed, “They have simply forgotten communities, and they have taken things to places where no one else has gone.”

Butcher stated, “This kind of got borne out of the fact that there are about 300 and some kids down there who have completely lost everything.” “The whole point of it is to help someone, even though you can’t help everyone.”

Toys for Hope is the name of it. They have stocked three trailers with toys and warm clothes with the assistance of numerous other U.S. Foods workers in the neighborhood and in our hometowns.

“We have requested fresh, unwrapped items that are reasonably priced. Many of the donors are folks we know who are going through difficult times themselves. However, other individuals have donated bicycles, stuffed animals, laser tag, Leapfrog, and baby toys, Butcher said as he rummaged through one of the trailers. Because we understand that life is different now and that many of them are bored, we aim to provide them with interactive materials. Additionally, you lose hope when you become bored.

There is now a fourth trailer in the queue. New toys and clothing can be donated at the Teamsters Union Hall in Salem to help load that trailer.

Next Saturday, Santa’s hometown team will leave with those trailers for North Carolina.