Heart behind Toys for Tots provides Christmas for many in Flathead Valley

Many memories stem from tearing into presents on Christmas morning and finding soft stuffed animals, a cool game, or that first bike. It is joyful to find one’s name on a package and waste no time finding out what is inside.

The Flathead Valley Toys for Tots, a branch of the national organization that is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, ensures that thousands of children in the valley have a present to open on Christmas morning.

“We provide Christmas,” said Flathead Valley Toys for Tots Campaign Coordinator Kelly Hamilton.

Three years ago, the Toys for Tots program in the Flathead was in danger of disappearing. Hamilton stepped up and became the Campaign Coordinator and under her leadership, the program is thriving.

Last year, Flathead Valley Toys For Tots distributed nearly 21,000 toys so that over 2,000 children, from newborn to 16 years old, had toys to open on Christmas morning. This year, they have already received 267 applications for toys in the first week of the six-week campaign.

There are also many convenient locations to donate toys as well throughout the season.

“We have over 200 (donation) boxes right now,” said Hamilton. “When I took it over there were 80. More and more businesses are calling this year to have toy boxes.”

Hamilton and Mack, the first non-military coordinators in the valley, work as volunteers for Toys for Tots, hold full-time jobs and have their own families. They are quick to explain how they manage to find the time and energy needed to run the Toys for Tots program.

“Because our hearts are in it,” Hamilton expressed. “That's really it. Our hearts are definitely about this program and it just makes it easier.”

The pair say the reason they are able to help so many children is because the Flathead Valley is so generous with its donations.

“That first year when COVID hit, it was amazing,” Mack said. “I think that the amount of families that came through (was greater) but then the same on the community support. The amount the community gave that year was crazy.”

Mack said that donations followed the trend last year and they are waiting to see what happens this year, when there might be a greater need due to increased costs.

Fortunately, the community donates time as well as toys so all the work doesn't fall on the shoulders of the two coordinators.

“We have a wonderful group of volunteers but we’re always looking to add to that group,” said Mack.

Hamilton said that having more volunteers for the toy distribution week would be helpful because they have only three days to accommodate about 900 families at the distribution site.

THIS YEAR the distribution site is the Kalispell Armed Forces Reserve Center, just north of the Ford dealership on Highway 93.

The toy set-up is from Dec.11-13, when the Toys for Tots team of volunteers unfold about 40 tables in the drill room of the Armory and display about 20,000 toys, arranged by age groups. Other tables are piled with games, puzzles, teddy bears and handmade wooden toys. And there are books, at least one for every child.

Then, on Dec. 14,15, and 16, the toy distribution happens and the team’s method is one that offers choices and values respect.

“The way that distribution works is a family gets their day and time that they are allowed to come and then they have a volunteer that shops with them,” Mack explained. “So if they have three children at three different age (levels), they just kinda start at one age group and they pick out the toys that they think that their child would like.”

She added that their system adds a personal element to the experience because parents know their children’s interests and what they might like. Again, the goal is to bring joy to children on Christmas morning.

“It is surprising people don't realize we do it that way,” Hamilton said. “There's a whole dignity [aspect] with the parents picking out the toys instead of just having a bag shoved into their vehicle.”

After a long day of distributing toys, Hamilton and Mack do not head home for a well-earned night of sleep. They head to the stores.

“Each night of distribution, Kelly and I go shopping with cash donations that we have to refill things that… might have been hot items,” said Mack. “We really struggle with getting enough donations for the older kids, so we go shopping every night after distribution so we have enough for the next day.”

The two admit to wearing themselves out and to eating rolled-up pieces of pizza in the parking lot of Costco last year because that was the only food they had time for that day.

FLATHEAD VALLEY Toys for Tots provides Christmas for children in Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Kalispell and Bigfork no matter how challenging it may be sometimes.

“We go out of our way probably more than anybody I've met that does this. If we know a family is probably going to miss their appointment because they’ve missed them in the past, then we’ve dropped toys off on porches,” Hamilton said. “We really do try to make sure the kids are the number one priority.”

As if providing toys for the Flathead Valley’s children wasn’t enough, Hamilton extends her reach to Sanders and Lincoln counties.

While Hamilton reiterates that the program is “definitely driven by our hearts,” and Mack points out that it is “all about the kiddos,” the effort takes a toll.

“I would say the hardest part is the emotional fatigue that this program causes us. There are so many tears and there's so much happiness. It’s just exhausting,” Hamilton said. Then, with a laugh, she added, “We take January and just don’t answer the phone or leave the house.”

For more information, call Campaign Coordinator Kelly Hamilton at (406) 471-9299 or Assistant Coordinator Jamie Mack at (406) 471-0543. Or, find Flathead Valley Toys for Tots on Facebook.