Waukee Christmas Drive Needs Donations to Succeed

Donations - especially toys and cash - are still being sought to help with the annual Waukee Christmas Drive, according to the city's website.

The effort is sponsored by the employees of the Waukee Police Department and is not officially sponsored by the City of Waukee, so no city money is used, the website says.

The Waukee Christmas Drive coordinates food and gifts for families in need in the school district. Cash donations are used to purchase additional items to fill in on food or gifts. Only new, unwrapped toys will be accepted. No clothing will be accepted.

Paper products such as paper towels, toilet tissue, hand soap, laundry aids or cleaning products are greatly appreciated. The food and other items should be delivered to the Waukee Food Pantry at Westview Church, 1155 S.E. Boone Drive.

The project include an "adoption" program. Families are adopted  by a family, organization or business. They buy and wrap the gifts from a list provided, then deliver the items to the Police Department for distribution with the food.

Organizers anticipate the needs will be greater this year due to financial hardships, so all donations are appreciated. Last year the Christmas Drive assisted 126 families, which included 341 children and 27 senior citizens; the number will likely be even greater this year.

"Our donations have been much better than any in the past five years, we needed it very badly," said Marggie Weir, administrative assistant with the police department.

Toys are still needed, she said, and "we definitely could always use more cash donations because we try to assist citizens all year long with rent, utilities, gas and food. … We have 137 families with 392 children that we are assisting this year with Christmas presents."

Donations of cash and toys will be taken at the Waukee Police Department through Dec. 17. To make a monetary donation make checks payable to "Waukee Christmas Fund."

The deadline has passed for families to apply to receive the assistance.