According to The Warren Center’s CEO Amy Spawn,
“Over the past three decades, The Warren Center has hosted thousands of children with developmental delays and disabilities at the annual Operation Santa holiday event, where gifts from our annual toy drive are distributed in a fun, safe and sensory-friendly atmosphere. At least 70% of the families we serve live beneath Texas’ poverty line. Without the generosity of our community, many of these children would not receive any gifts for Christmas. It can be extremely challenging to shop, wrap and attend holiday festivities while caring for a child with a chronic illness. The Operation Santa holiday event alleviates some of the stress of the holiday season for families who have children with developmental delays and disabilities. It is our wish is to have as many gifts as possible from our Amazon Wish list purchased to serve at least 500 deserving children and their families this holiday season.
“At this year’s Operation Santa, we have created a safe, sensory-friendly environment for children with developmental disabilities and their families to enjoy the holiday season. The annual holiday celebration will provide donated toys, holiday games, crafts, photos with Santa, food and fun for the entire family.
“Now through Monday, November 28, we are seeking generous donors to participate in the Operation Santa Toy Drive. Community members can help bring joy to a child this holiday season by shopping online or dropping off new, unwrapped toys for children ages birth to seven-years-old at The Warren Center’s Richardson office by appointment. This year, the experts at The Warren Center hand-selected gifts to help children reach developmental milestones. These gifts are available for purchase through The Warren Center’s Amazon Wish List.
“While shopping on Amazon, make sure to use smile.amazon.com, and 0.5% of your purchases will be donated back to The Warren Center. Simply select The Warren Center as your charity of choice when you sign up at Amazon Smile.
“To schedule a drop off at The Warren Center’s office located at 320 Custer Rd., Richardson, please contact Abby Gray. All toys will be collected by Monday, November 28. For more information, please call 480.370.2119.
“At The Warren Center, we provide therapy and support for over 3,000 families every year. Each day, the need for services continues to grow. The CDC estimates one in six children have intellectual or physical disabilities or delays. In Dallas County alone, over 102,000 children have a developmental disability. The period between birth to five years is a time of rapid development. The earliest possible intervention is critical due to the accelerated brain development during these first years of life. Early childhood intervention programs have been shown to yield benefits in academic achievement, behavior, educational progression and attainment, and labor market success. Our staff travels to 48 zip codes and more than 900 homes each week to serve children in need. Our offices also served more than 200 children on-site for clinic-based services. Providing physical therapy, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and social support is essential to help children with disabilities reach their full potential.”
* Graphic/photo provided by The Warren Center