At Town East Ford, we believe in giving back to our community, so when Agape Home Healthcare reached out to ask if we would participate in their toy drive, we jumped at the chance! A truck was set up in our showroom and employees began dropping off toys until we more than filled up the truck bed.
On Dec. 14, we took a load of toys worth over $2,400 to Agape, which were then delivered to the Santa Cop Toy Drive in Mesquite. The Santa Cop program has helped children in need for nearly 40 years, and we were happy to assist them with spreading a little extra Christmas spirit this past holiday season.
ABOUT THE SANTA COP TOY DRIVE
Four decades ago, Officer Reece Bullard noticed that there were many single moms in the apartment complex where he worked as a security guard, and that during the Christmas season they had little or sometimes no money at all to purchase gifts for their children. So over the holidays he decided to buy gifts with his own money and distribute them anonymously to kids living in the complex while dressed as Santa.
This tradition has continued for the past 40 years, expanding into a program called the Santa Cop Toy Drive. Every year, the Mesquite Police Department collects new, unwrapped toys, which are given out to the neediest children in our community. Gift cards and monetary donations are also collected.
Today, Officer Don Williams coordinates the program, and has done so for the past 21 years. According to Williams, many of the children chosen to receive gifts are referrals from officers who noticed a need while working out in the field.
"The Santa Cop program provides a chance for our officers to give some joy back to the community ... Seeing a big smile on a kid's face is always priceless," stated Williams to the Mesquite News. We agree and are extremely proud that we had a chance to contribute to the program's mission!
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