Juarez firemen in need of toys for children

Delivering gifts to nearly two billion children around the world is not easy, so sometimes Santa Claus gets some help.

Now Juarez firefighters are asking you to help them get gifts to thousands of children in need. With only seven days until Christmas Eve firefighters said they only have one tenth of the toys they need.

For more than 70 years the Juarez fire department has been giving away toys to children on Christmas. Families drop off donations which the firefighters sort and repair them.

“We’re running low on toys and swimming against the tide,” Fire Lieutenant Sergio Rodriguez said.

Most people donate bikes or soccer balls, but with the gift reserves low the fire department is asking for donations of anything that will make this a merry Christmas.

“We’re doing everything we can to make sure every child that lines up that morning will walk away with a toy,” Rodriguez said.

They’re asking people from all over the borderland, Juarez, El Paso, and Las Cruces to donate toys for children, just nothing that needs batteries or promotes violence.

“The goal isn’t a specific number, we jsut want to make as many children smile as we can,” he said.

Toys can be dropped off at any Juarez fire station. The closest to the border is here, next to El Punto, where the Pope celebrated mass in his visit.