'Better with them than on our shelves': Inn From The Cold shares surplus toy donations with other charities

A Calgary charity with a surplus of toy donations is helping other agencies in need.

While Inn From The Cold's financial donations are down 18 per cent this year, the organization received more toys than they needed for children under 10.

On Friday, about 20 large moving boxes filled with toys were shared among four Calgary charities: Hospice Calgary, The Magic of Christmas, The Salvation Army, and The Women's Centre.  

"It's not going to be enough to fill their shelves by any stretch of the imagination but it is what we have and what we're able to give and it's just unacceptable for us to think that any child will wake up on Christmas morning without a toy in their hands," said Janeen Webb, director of donor relations at Inn From The Cold.

"Better with them than on our shelves."

Webb said Inn From The Cold is still in need of donations for teens and tweens. 

Nadine Gariepy-Fisk,director of child and family grief services at Hospice Calgary, said she felt lucky and grateful to receive a call from Inn From The Cold offering toys. 

"This year with these gifts and these toys we'll just be able to multiply the number of families we'll be able to give this to," she said. 

"Kids, even though they're grieving, there's still some magic to Christmas and you want to keep that alive and help with that."​ 

Clayton Busher, vice-president of The Magic of Christmas, said the charity has seen increased demand this year.

"By nature of charity you want to do as much as you possibly can, so a surplus is a very rare thing, and the fact that they were willing to share with another charity that's trying to reach their goals is a phenomenal thing to me," he said.   

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