Excelsior Springs, MO.– The Excelsior Springs Fire Department has opened its bays once again for the Season of Hope toy drive, making it the department’s fourth year partnering with KSHB 41. The metro-wide effort, sponsored by Chick-fil-A, supports families facing financial strain during the holidays by collecting new, unwrapped gifts for children from infancy through age 18.
Season of Hope launched across the Kansas City region on Nov. 17 and runs through Dec. 14, but drop-off timing at local fire departments varies. In Excelsior Springs, toys can be brought to the fire station Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donations will be officially accepted through Dec. 12.
ESFD first joined the drive in 2021. Their very first year ended up on the KSHB midday show, a surprise debut that introduced Excelsior Springs to the larger metro initiative. The station has kept the partnership going ever since.
While the department does not track exact totals, staff said the volume consistently grows into a full-room ordeal, the kind they are happy to have. It is common for the Salvation Army to schedule early pickups because the donation area fills before the final deadline.
Staff recalled years when entire stacks of toys filled the bay floor, including the year a resident showed up with bags of boxed vintage Barbies and another when someone donated retro toys that looked valuable, but were donated for a child to enjoy them for no cost.
For those interested in donating, toys must be new and unwrapped. Batteries are not specifically requested, but staff said they would be accepted and appreciated. Simply bring your donation and drop it off in the Season of Hope bins located in ESFD’s front lobby.
Although posted hours are limited to weekdays, the department may accommodate weekend and after-hour drop-offs if someone knocks while personnel are present.
Season of Hope is one of the region’s largest holiday toy drives, organized by KSHB 41 in partnership with the Kansas and Western Missouri Salvation Army, Chick-fil-A, and the Scripps Howard Fund. All donations stay within the Kansas City metro. Financial contributions can also be made online, and supporters can text KSHB to 50155 to give digitally.
Families who need assistance can apply for Christmas support through the Salvation Army online at SalArmyMoKan.org. Assistance is available for income-eligible families and for seniors 65 and older. The final day to apply online is Dec. 8, and in-person applications are accepted at any local Salvation Army Corps office.
More information, including a metro map of all drop locations, is available through KSHB 41’s Season of Hope portal.
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