SEATTLE — Despite this being the best time of year for some, two non-profit organizations, KING 5’s community partner The Northwest Harvest and The Salvation Army, are asking for help to ensure it's the best time of year for all.
"The pandemic has waned, everyone thought the need would decrease, but we're finding the opposite," said Lt. Colonel Cindy Foley, the divisional commander with The Salvation Army.
The holiday season is crunch time for the Salvation Army. Officials with the nonprofit said they're in desperate need of donations, now more than ever.
"Seeing more people requesting assistance, beyond the numbers helped during the pandemic,” said Foley. “The rising cost of inflation, rent increases, gas and the cost of living."
Foley said their main priority is focusing on getting toys for 6- to 11-year-old children by Tuesday when the nonprofit starts distributing the donations.
"The Salvation Army in Tacoma needs toys for 200 more kids before Tuesday morning and we need another 200 toys for kids scattered across King County," said Foley.
In addition to getting toys under the tree, KING 5's community partner "Northwest Harvest" is focused on getting food on the table - it's the final stretch of "Home Team Harvest," the largest annual food drive in the state.
"To have a chance to donate, be a part of this food drive and make sure that households are eating well, not only during this holiday season but also well into January, March, April/ It's a really important time to give and I'm so grateful for this partnership," said Thomas Reynolds, the CEO of Northwest Harvest.
According to Northwest Harvest, one in 12 Washington households are facing food insecurity. So far, 14.5 million meals have been raised. But there's more work to be done, with the goal of 21 million meals by the end of the month.
"I think we're going to get there and that's really exciting and also important in this incredible year of need for people experiencing hunger," said Reynolds.
If you're interested in donating to the Salvation Army you can do so on the organization's website or go in person to the 30 locations located in western Washington.
Watch: Home Team Harvest special