CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Bikes and toys stuffed in bags are some of the gifts finding new homes in Hampton Roads this holiday season.
“It is beautiful,” said Portsmouth resident Herlina Elliott.
It's all items bought or donated to the Salvation Army Hampton Roads Area Command.
“It started with this empty building that we quickly filled up with toys that arrived from people who took the angels from the Angel Tree...which represents children,” said Major Chris Flanagan, the area commander for Salvation Army Hampton Roads Area Command.
Monday morning, volunteers packed those gifts inside several cars waiting outside the Chesapeake Square Mall. Elliott is one of many who picked up toys for her children.
“My boys are a little bit older, like 12," Elliott said. "So, they like a bike. Sometimes, they like the pajamas.”
She said this help goes a long way.
“Some people don’t really have all the money to get the gifts," Elliott explained. "So, this is like a blessing for real.”
“All those kettles, everything," Flanagan said. "This is the culmination. This is all the hard work. This is what it’s all about.”
Over 800 families will receive gifts from the Christmas Depot each day of this week. The Salvation Army will help more than 6,800 children this year. Major Flanagan said the organization is helping a thousand more children compared to last year. He calls the increased need alarming but says the Hampton Roads community continues to look out for one another.
“When you look at this, it’s not something the Salvation Army did," he said. "It’s something the Hampton Roads [did]. This represents the Hampton Roads community.”