Every year our local NBC affiliate KCRA TV in Sacramento coordinates with the California Highway Patrol in the annual CHiPs for kids toy drive program. The program which is put in by the California Highway Patrol allows for the CHP office in each county of the state of California to collect toys for underprivileged children in their particular county.
KCRA always makes a big splash for the CHP so that they can have as good a turn out as possible in collecting toys for underprivileged kids in the Sacramento area. In the past, I have tried to participate in this when my schedule allowed. However this year with COVID 19 and the fact that I'm working from home, it wasn't as much of a challenge to make time in my morning to take some toys to the CHiPs for kids program. The toy drive was held on the 4th of December. I went to Target the night before and cruised through the toys section of the store. I managed to find 3 toys that I thought would fit into 3 different age groups. I found a Lite Brite, which was a toy that I had great fun with when I was a child. I also found a football as well As a stuff school bus. I figured the school bus would work well for any child that was 3 is 7 years of age, according to the label. I also figured that the football would work well for any child that was 12 years or older. I then figured that the light bright would work well for any kid that was age 6 up through Maybe 12.
I was very concerned that this year's collection might be lower the normal because they're so many families that are financially struggling this year. But I also was concerned that the need would be really great. In the past they've collected anywhere from 8,000 to 9,000 toys in the Sacramento area for the CHiPs for kids toy drive. Well, I was very pleased to find out that I was a very small part of a very successful story this year.
It turns out that the folks in Sacramento really turned out to help the underprivileged kids in the area. There was over 10,455 toys that were collected by the chips for kids program on the morning of the 4th. This was a wonderful turn out and I was glad to see such a great donation volume this year. This just goes to show the people really do care. I want you to consider the fact that even if you may be living on the road that you can make a difference in whatever community you're in. All we have to do is keep an eye on the local TV channel and see what's going on and take a few bucks and donate it to a worthy cause. I know that all of us want to help where we can. Check out my video below of my trip taking the toys to our camps for kids toy drive here in Sacramento this year.
Have safe travels all!
Eric Anderson