Even though Christmas is a couple of months away, one organization is already preparing for the festive season.

New Opportunities Family Development Coordinator Rhonda Huggins says that she is currently registering children and families for the Marines Toys for Tots Toy Drive, and taking information for children for The Giving Tree. She explains The Giving Tree has cards with things that children would like for Christmas, and those that want to help provide those items can use the information to donate toys, clothes and other goods. Huggins mentions that those interested in helping don’t have to stop in her office to pick up a card.

“You could call us, if you’d like to take a child off of that tree. We can read you the information off of that and you don’t have to come into the office. But sometimes it’s better if you take that card off the tree. Then you can attach that to a bag of whatever you’ve purchased for that child. Every child has a number, you’re not going to see a name. It’s very confidential, we don’t want to give that information out.”

Huggins tells Raccoon Valley Radio that they keep the names of the children confidential, to help families from feeling embarrassed or self-conscious about asking for help. She also says that when families receive gifts for children through The Giving Tree, New Opportunities also provides some wrapping paper, so that all the gifts can be wrapped similarly to what the family has done themselves.