Sarasota Sheriff seeks help to make Christmas special for local kids

SARASOTA, Fla. - The tree is up, decorations are hung and the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office needs help filling presents under their tree. They are collecting toys and other necessities for children from infants to age 18.

What they're saying:

"They have some children in there who don’t always have a good Christmas or don’t always have the things that they need in terms of school supplies and hygiene products and just a gift during the holiday season to brighten up… put a smile on their face, so it’s very important. You can see it reflected in the volunteers that come from the programs to get the gifts. They’re so appreciative. They have something to share with the children," said Sheriff Kurt Hoffman.

Why you should care:

The toys and items are given to three local groups who work to make sure each child's Christmas remains special no matter what they're going through.

"We do that for three local charities here: All Star Children’s Foundation, which helps kids that are in the foster program. Teen Court, which is a great organization that helps kids get their life on track and make sure they’re doing the right thing, and then also our Guardian ad Litem and the folks over at the guardian lighting program help guide kids through the court system," said Sheriff Hoffman.

READ: Clearwater police take kids shopping in annual Shop With a Cop event

What you can do:

You can donate unwrapped and unused toys and gift cards. The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office asks that items remain unwrapped.

Items can be sent to 6010 Cattleridge Boulevard or 4531 Annex Road in Venice. If you'd like to donate, but are outside the area, you can purchase an item off of the SCSO Amazon wish.