By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net
With the Holidays approaching, the Community Action Center’s Operation Joy and the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots are ramping up to help provide a holiday experience for families in the community. Registration for Operation Joy closes today, with distribution set for December 10th. Participants must be registered in advance.
Operation Joy has been part of the Northfield community for several decades, with the program last year serving 1,000 kids in over 500 different families. Participants each receive a Target gift card, a choice of book provided by Content Bookstore, and a family blanket made by volunteers.
Senior Director of the CAC, Anika Rychner, stated that the program was a great moment of rallying together for the community:
Listen to the News:
“It serves so many kids in the community, but it ends up feeling a little bit like an event because, you know, it’s the holidays and so much of our community just rallies around Operation Joy, wanting to support kids and families.” – Anika Rychner, Senior Director of the CAC on KYMN In The Morning
Outgoing Executive Director of the CAC, Scott Wopata, noted that the program has looked different over the years, changing to a gift card model during the Pandemic, which has evolved into something that benefits the most people now:
“It’s one thing to be given and to sort through potential gifts you could give your children. It’s another thing to be empowered to select something as a parent who is trying to provide an abundant holiday experience for your own child. And gift cards are really a kind of that empowerment moment.” – Scott Wopata, Executive Director of the CAC on KYMN In The Morning
Operation Joy is open to families in the Northfield School District; registration closes today. Will talk more in next week’s news about Toys for Tots, which is for families outside of the Northfield School District.
Rychner thanked the community for all their support of the program and any additional donations that they received:
“I think we have over 30 different sponsors. And so you’ll see, if you follow us on Facebook, there’s a flood right now of posts of shout-outs and thank yous to all of the local area businesses that have supported Operation Joy.” – Anika Rychner, Senior Director of the CAC on KYMN In The Morning
You can register and donate here: https://communityactioncenter.org/holiday-programs/
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