Agency scrambles to find toys for the needy

SOUTH PARIS, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -  With Christmas shopping swinging into high gear, agencies that provide toys for needy families are hoping shoppers will pick up an extra toy or set aside a few dollars this holiday season.

In Oxford County the unemployment rate is up from this time last year while donations at social service agencies are down.

Workers and volunteers from the Families in Crisis task force are getting ready for their biggest fundraiser of the year for their annual toy giveaway. Their Christmas Fair in Oxford features a chinese auction, a dollar table and 50-50 raffle. All of the money raised goes towards buying toys for needy families.

Last year the program provided toys for more than 1500 children. But with just 4-weeks to go before Christmas the program has only about a quarter of the toys it needs. Money donations are way off this year.

"Money wise we're way down where we should be or normally be, around 5 or 6-thousand dollars in cash, money to go out and spend. We're around 2-thousand right now", said Peggy Turner of the agency.

The Christmas Fair gets underway at 11am Saturday morning at the Advent Christian Church on Route 26 in Oxford.