SCRANTON, Pa. — The holidays are already in full force in Scranton as nonprofits are working to once again create some magic for families that need it most this Christmas.
Sign-ups opened at 9 a.m. Tuesday and filled up fast.
"By 10 a.m., we had reached 1,500 families, significantly faster and significantly more than we've ever seen before," said Krista Murray, executive director of the Catherine McAuley Center.
It's a sign of the growing need in the community, and it's put a strain on local nonprofits—The Catherine McAuley Center, Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton, the Salvation Army of Scranton, and Friends of the Poor.
"When we looked at Christmas, we looked at each other and said, 'What are we going to do? How are we going to make sure Christmas is magical for all the kids in our community?' Coming together is the answer to that," said Meghan Loftus, president of Friends of the Poor.
While they're joining forces for the first time through the Gifts for Kids program, what makes each group special won't be going away, like the Salvation Army's Angel Tree.
"There are some donors and people that look for those tags and will call us and ask, 'Will you put more tags out?'" said Capt. Kirsten Childs, Salvation Army Scranton.
Instead, they're able to reach more families than ever. They're doubling the capacity of their Adopt a Family program, hosting shopping days for those unable to pre-register, and centralizing the donation system, making it easier for those receiving and those giving.
"Instead of having people have to piecemeal what they're doing, here's a one-stop shop. Every single toy, every child you sponsor, every penny you give, is going to go right back to a child in Lackawanna County," Loftus added.
The group is also looking for families, businesses, and groups to sponsor their Adopt a Family program and volunteers to help sort donations. Creating holiday magic in Lackawanna County is no easy feat.
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