Holiday Sponsors Critically Needed for 60 Clermont Children

Immediate Release
December 6, 2011

Batavia, Ohio. Clermont County children need your help. The holiday season is just around the corner, and the Clermont County Children’s Protective Services’ (CPS) Community Toy Chest still needs sponsors for 60 children in county care. “We typically have most of the children matched with a sponsor by this time of the year; the tight economy is impacting everyone. We need sponsors for all ages of children,” said Community Toy Chest Coordinator Sanna Gast. “Sponsors receive a wish/needs list for the child that contains sizes. Teens really like getting gift cards to local stores and restaurants.”

This year, sponsors have come forward to brighten the holidays for 250 children in Clermont CPS custody; the children are between the ages of newborn and 18. “You should see how these children light-up when they receive these gifts,” said Gast. “For many, this is the first holiday season they have been away from their families.” The children are in county custody due to abuse or neglect.

The Community Toy Chest also accepts donations of checks or cash to purchase gifts for those who are not sponsored. Checks can be mailed to the Community Toy Chest, 2400 Clermont Center Drive (Suite 206C), Batavia, Ohio 45103. To sponsor a child this holiday season, contact Sanna Gast with the Community Toy Chest at (513) 732-7264 or email gasts@odjfs.state.oh.us. Gifts must be wrapped and marked with the number assigned to the child; all gifts must be delivered to CPS offices by December 22, 2011 to ensure they are delivered by December 25, 2011. Clermont CPS is located at 2400 Clermont Center Drive in Batavia Township.

Pictured above: Sanna Gast with items collected during the 2010 Community Toy Chest drive

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For additional information about this or other county news, contact Clermont County Communications Director Kathy Lehr at (513) 732-7597 or by e-mail, klehr@ clermontcountyohio.gov.