Hundreds in Natchez benefit from Toys for Tots program

Published 1:50 pm Saturday, December 19, 2020

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NATCHEZ — Volunteers worked Saturday at Greater Faith Tabernacle Church on Oak Street to distribute toys to some 900 children in need as part of the Toys for Tots program.

The Rev. Oscar Davis, pastor of Greater Faith, said the church is the official distribution point for the Toys for Tots program in Natchez, Adams County, Warren County and Wilkinson County.

“The toy drive went well,” Davis said Saturday morning while volunteers worked to help distribute toys.

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Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve to distribute toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas.

Davis said toys have been arriving at the church in recent weeks and each child who registered online in November got three to four toys on Saturday.

“We have 900 children registered here,” Davis said, adding another 1,600 children were registered in Warren County and another distribution point was set up in Vicksburg.

More than 300 children had been to the Greater Faith church by noon, Davis said, and the toys would be distributed until approximately 2 p.m. Saturday.

Volunteers screened people before they entered the church, taking temperatures and requiring face masks to follow COVID-19 guidelines.

“It is good to see the gratefulness people have to give and receive,” Davis said. “It is a good feeling to see. Anyone could be on the other side of the program.”