Salvation Army to give away toys, food, next week

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - In two-hour shifts, the Salvation Army warehouse in Lincoln fills with the sounds of rustling paper bags and the volunteers who pack them.

“I love to volunteer because it makes my heart feel good, and it makes me feel like a small part in giving back to the members in our community that need items,” Tammy Gebers, a Salvation Army volunteer, said.

Gebers has helped out at the salvation army during the holidays for five years now, filling sacks with canned goods and pasta.

“During the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, it just makes me again realize how blessed I’ve been in my lifetime. So it’s my turn to help others who haven’t been as blessed.”

And one room away, toys--provided by community organizations and individuals--sprawl across tables in the Salvation Army gym. It’s all part of Operation Angel Tree.

Between next Monday and Wednesday, more than 700 Lincoln families in need are expected to come to the Salvation Army on Potter Street to grab food and take home two toys--all for free.

“It is really exciting to see each year as we come together, the volunteers who come to make a difference,” Mark Anderson, an officer at the Lincoln Salvation Army, said. “It’s a time of economic uncertainty, and in the midst of that, we have very generous people all across Lincoln who are making a difference.”

With higher costs of living these days and cold weeks ahead, the Salvation Army could see even more families than anticipated for the distribution--one of the many reasons why tammy keeps coming back.

“I truly believe that every person in our community needs to volunteer at this time to make themselves realize that there’s such a great need in our community for so many families,” Gebers said.

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