The annual Angel Toy event means more than 630 children will find presents under the tree when they wake up this Christmas

CINCINNATI, OH – December 12, 2018 – St. Vincent de Paul’s Liz Carter Outreach Center transformed itself into the North Pole on Saturday, December 15, 2018. Parents from more than 250 local families in need were given the opportunity to shop for free gifts for their children, while the children were on a separate floor of the outreach center being entertained with crafts, activities and pictures with Santa. Volunteers wrap the gifts and put them in bags before the parents are reunited with their children, so their presents remain a surprise until Christmas morning.

More than 1,000 toys were lined up on tables, divided into sections—boys, girls, ages. The toys are donated to St. Vincent de Paul throughout the year by individuals and businesses in Cincinnati who want to help. Without the donations, many of the families would have no gifts for their children on Christmas.

The families applied to be part of one of SVDP’s three holiday toy programs—Angel Toy, Christmas Together and Shop with a Bengal—back in September. Shop with a Bengal took place on Monday at the Meijer in Oakley. Christmas Together, in which sponsor families support a family in need, took place last Saturday. This is the largest and final of the three holiday programs.

Volunteer groups from Cintas, General Mills, Grange Insurance, Hilton, and Vaco were on hand to help out, as well as students from St. Ursula, McNicholas and St. Xavier high schools. More than 120 volunteers helped with the event.

About St. Vincent de Paul – Cincinnati
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has been providing innovative, practical emergency assistance to Greater Cincinnati and Hamilton County residents in need for 149 years. The organization works personally with those in need, regardless of race or creed, to bridge the spiritual, emotional and material gaps in their lives through home visits provided by neighborhood-based volunteer groups, and groundbreaking initiatives like the Charitable Pharmacy as well as a network of nine food pantries and seven thrift stores and donation centers across Cincinnati. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul continues to be a leading community service organization and was recognized with a 2017 Henry Schein Cares Medal. For more information, visit SVDPcincinnati.org.