Left photo: SCSO employees loading donated toys at the headquarter office. Right photo: Guardian Ad Litem office after delivery.
Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman is pleased to announce the results of the agency’s Eighth Annual Holiday Toy Drive.
From November 29 through December 13, citizens, local businesses, and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office members, brought or shipped toys and gift cards to the agency’s headquarters to benefit children enrolled in the 12th Judicial Circuit’s Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) Program and our two additional community partners, Teen Court of Sarasota, and All-Star Children’s Foundation. Gifts were collected at two locations this year, SCSO headquarters and the South County Office, for children ranging from newborn to 18 years old who reside in Sarasota, Manatee, or DeSoto counties. The agency collected almost 1,800 gifts this year, including $3,935 in gift cards. On Monday, Teen Court of Sarasota and All-Star Children’s Foundation sent representatives to collect the gifts needed for the children they serve. On Tuesday, sheriff’s office personnel made the official delivery to the GAL offices in downtown Sarasota. Over the next several days, guardians will select and distribute individual gifts for children under their care.
“Serving the children of our community by collecting and distributing Christmas gifts is always a great day at SCSO!” said Sheriff Hoffman. “We’re grateful for the generosity of our community and awed by what they’re able to do for children and families in need each year.”
We thank the Sarasota community, our local business partners who also collected gifts, and appreciate the continued support of the Sarasota Memorial Hospital Public Safety Department.