Area Postal Workers Deliver Toys to Kids

A caravan of five postal trucks delivered 1,100 toys Friday morning to the North Hollywood office of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.

More than 1,000 postal workers in six San Fernando Valley offices bought presents for children--mostly victims of abuse and neglect--who are in custody in foster care or group homes.

“Our social workers gave out cards to the kids and they came back with a wish list,” said Donna Haas, regional administrator for the North Hollywood office. “This is the only Christmas gift these children will get. These are sort of the forgotten children.”

A handful of postal workers--led by a man in a Santa Claus suit--unloaded the toys from the trucks to steel carts amid applause and cheers from about 100 social workers in the parking lot.

Gifts included bikes, dolls, soccer balls and radios.

The toy drive was organized by Robert Swanson, a postal worker in the North Hollywood office. Swanson started the drive last year and North Hollywood workers collected 350 toys.

This year he got five other offices involved--Burbank, La Canada, Northridge, Reseda and San Fernando.

“When I worked up in the Palmdale area, we had a toy drive. So, when I came down to North Hollywood, I decided to organize one there,” Swanson said. “It’s really a neat thing.”

Family services workers on hand said it means the world to the children, who can’t meet the toy donors because they are in protective custody.

“It’s so great to see the kids’ eyes light up,” Haas said. “These guys really outdid themselves.”