WEST DES MOINES – Thursday is day two of the Salvation Army’s Christmas toy shop program where they provide free toys to struggling families so kids can have presents under the Christmas tree. This year, the Salvation Army is providing toys to over 2,000 children in 800 families.

Parents who qualify for the program signed up to attend the toy shop, set up at Valley West Mall, and receive a time to visit when they can pick out three toys for each of their children.

The Salvation Army Christmas Toy Shop is made possible by the generous donations of the community as well as partners like Toys for Tots, the Angel Tree, and Iowa State Bank.

Major Jolene Hull, a Capital Area Commander with the Salvation Army, said that the Salvation Army and its Volunteers worked hard to make the toy shop a positive experience for those who need it.

“So over the last three weeks or so, we’ve been moving a lot of toys between locations and then setting up tables and gifts here and making it more of a shopping experience. That’s what we want to accomplish. Is that just like picking out toys for our family, we want that experience to happen here for our, our customers,” Hull said.

The Salvation Army’s Toy Shop program is made possible in part due to its other major fundraiser, the Red Kettle Campaign.

So far this year the Salvation Army has raised around $500,000 of its $1.2 million goal.

Major Daniel Hull, a Capital Area Commander with the Salvation Army, said volunteers are needed for the Red Kettle Campaign.

“If you go to register to ring online, you can sign up. Take a two-hour shift, half-day, just bring a buddy. And that kind of makes the hours go quicker. And every time that bell rings, it gives hope to people,” Hull said.

Learn more about the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign or sign up to ring bells by visiting the Salvation Army’s website.