Local Organization, Believe, Collects Toy for Kids in Need

Hundreds of Jackson County families are in need for the Christmas season. A group called Believe has joined forces with policemen, firefighters, and Ingalls shipbuilders to help collect gifts for needy children.

So far, Believe has collected 300 toys, but it needs to collect 2,600 by the end of next week. Three hundred and fifty needy families with over 800 children have signed up for the toy drive. In previous years, a county wide toy drive has been organized by Toys for Tots, but this year, the group wasn’t able to do one.

Pamela Williams, toy drive coordinator, says, “We started Believe because we found out that Toys for Tots and Sisters Toyland would not be in Jackson County this year and we felt that would be too many children without Christmas. So we started pulling together as many resources as we could find in Jackson County so that we could actually provide Christmas for the children.”

Organizers will start distributing the gifts next week. If you would like to contribute, you can check with your local police or fire departments or you can call Pamela Williams at (228) 355-8227.