TRAVERSE CITY -- More families are in need of help this holiday season. In an effort to meet that need, the Toys for Tots organization is extending its toy drive.
Organizers are expecting a 20-percent increase in requests for toys. Last year's record campaign distributed 26,000 toys to more than 7,000 children.
The northwest Michigan Toys for Tots campaign will keep up selected drop off boxes through next Tuesday to help meet the needs of the Father Fred Foundation.
The campaign was schedule to end this past weekend, but a higher number of toy requests and a reduction in donations has forced organizers to leave the boxes up longer. Toys collected through this week will help the Father Fred Foundation, which is doing toy distribution through next Wednesday, Dec. 21.
Drop off boxes will stay up through Tuesday at all Bill Marsh dealership locations, Fox Motors and Verano Tan in Traverse City.
"Our goal is to assure that every child in the area has toys this Christmas and we'll do what we need to do to achieve that goal," says campaign coordinator, Maggie Kent.
About 2,400 toys were collected this past weekend through the drive.
