Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Annual toy event brings joy to hundreds of Las Vegas children

2018 Salvation Army's Christmas Angel Program

Steve Marcus

Volunteer Annette Salazar, left, helps Yeni Salinas-Salmeron pick out toys for her children during the Salvation Army’s Toy and Joy event at the Silver Nugget Events Center in North Las Vegas Friday, Dec. 14, 2018.

Salvation Army's Toy and Joy

Solene Villanueva looks over a table of toys during the Salvation Army's Christmas Angel program at the Silver Nugget Events Center in North Las Vegas Friday, Dec. 14, 2018. Launch slideshow »

Below the casino floor of the Silver Nugget on Friday morning was a scene that could rival Santa Claus’ workshop: Neat rows of red tricycles, toys and stocking-stuffers filled the event center as holiday carols crooned through the radio speakers.

These moments unfolded at the Salvation Army of Southern Nevada’s annual Toy and Joy, where about 8,000 toys and gift cards were distributed to more than 1,000 Las Vegas-area families.

“They get to choose their own toys for their own kids and some will take them home and wrap them and the kids will have something to unwrap on Christmas morning,” said Juan Salinas, the director of social services for the Salvation Army of Southern Nevada. “It’s important because it puts a smile on someone else’s face, especially kids. I was there and knew the need was great.”

Salinas was one of seven children and his parents went to the Salvation Army for help when he was growing up, including this event.

“It was my dad with seven of us, so every year we would go to Salvation Army because it was tough and we would get something for Christmas — one, two toys — and the joy that it brought to us, I still remember it,” he said.

Salinas recalls his favorite toy that he got through the program — a Batman car.

Many of the gifts were donated through the Angel Giving Tree, a nonprofit gift sponsorship program where community members choose gifts for children, who fill out a tag that includes their age, name and the gift they would like.

Angel Giving Tree serves 1 million children nationally. In Las Vegas, it started along with the event in 1972. The event is the same but was named Toy and Joy this year.

A child’s parent or guardian “shops” for the donated gifts with volunteers leading them through the aisle where they can select two gifts for each child under age 10. Children ages 11-14 receive a gift card and a pair of movie tickets. Families that are selected through an application process also receive a grocery-store gift card to purchase items for their holiday dinner.

Jewell and Lafeeha Webb, who support eight children, including Jewell’s deceased sister’s four children, divvied up the rows of toys. They picked out a Cabbage Patch doll for their 4-year-old daughter, Melaine, and a dump truck for their 3-year-old son Prince Jericho, among other items.

Jewell receives additional services from the nonprofit, including employment with the organization and help finding housing for the family.

“I’m just trying to get back on my feet,” Jewell said, as the couple left to load the gifts into their car.

Many of the volunteers return year after year to help, like Greg Peterson or Simon Tait who both have volunteered for more than five years. Peterson helps parents shop; Tait helps organize the warehouse where he ensures all the rows of gifts never deplete.

“When the family finds that special toy they know their child is looking for and they know that they could never have gotten it by themselves, and when you see that light come on and they realize on Christmas morning their child is going to be really excited about, it’s nice to be a part of that,” Peterson said.

The event is so important for Tait that he commutes from her home in San Francisco to volunteer.

“The first year I came here in 2013, the spirit of everything got into my blood and made me want to come back every year because everybody really cares and there’s a real sense of community and I’ve never felt that before,” Tait said.