Blaine & Birch Bay’s
Holiday Gift Assistance Program
The Community Toy Store is a holiday gift assistance program that seeks to provide a hand up instead of a handout for families facing difficult financial circumstances. This model fully involves the parents, giving them the joy and dignity of personally providing gifts for their own children, as well as being contributors to their community. The program has been operating successfully in Bellingham for over ten years. The Blaine and Birch Bay program began in 2018. It is sponsored by The Community Assistance Program with support from many churches, businesses, organizations, and individuals in our community.
How Does the Community Toy Store Work?
Brand new, unwrapped toys are donated by community members and prices are marked down about 75%. Gift cards to a variety of stores will be available for children between the ages of 11 and 18. Gifts are arranged in a store-like setting where parents can shop on a cash-only basis, choosing several gifts per child. Voucher assistance is available for families needing extra help. Proceeds from toy sales will be distributed to non-profits that serve families in our own community.
2023 Registration Information
Who is eligible?
- Families must live in the Blaine (WA) School District.
- Families must not be receiving gift assistance from any other source.
- Families should be eligible to get free or reduced lunch at school. You do not have to have applied for meal assistance this year, but your income should fall within the guidelines to qualify. Homeschoolers and families with preschoolers are welcome to participate if their income falls within these guidelines. Families whose income does not fall at or below these guidelines may still be eligible to receive assistance under certain circumstances. This will be decided on a case by case basis.
When and where will the Toy Store take place? Thursday, December 7 and Friday, December 8, 6:00 – 8:30 pm and Saturday, December 9, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Additional dates and/or times may be added as necessary. The Toy Store will be held at the same location as in 2022 – Valley Church, Blaine Campus, 1733 H St., Unit 260, next to Westside Pizza in the Cost Cutter Plaza.
How can I sign up? Register online through the link below beginning November 1. Registration deadline is Sunday, November 26. For those not able to register online, call 530-828-5195. Pre-registration is required; no walk-ins accepted.
REGISTER HERE– November 1 – 26
Online registration is now closed for the 2023 Blaine/Birch Bay Community Toy Store. If you still need holiday gift assistance for your children and think you meet the above eligibility guidelines, please call 530-828-5195.
What happens after I apply? Your application will be reviewed by Family Service Center and Community Toy Store staff to make sure you meet the eligibility requirements. Once approved, you will receive an email or phone call to confirm your acceptance. You will be assigned a specific time to shop based on preferred times you list on your application and date of application submission. You will receive a postcard in the mail the end of the first week or beginning of the second week in December with your assigned shopping time and further details. You must bring this card with you to the Toy Store when you come to shop!
What if I need additional assistance? With the huge price markdowns, your $15 will purchase about $60 worth of toys and/or gift cards. If you need additional help, please apply using the link below. A volunteer will contact you to discuss your situation and determine what level of assistance we can offer you. Please apply early if requesting voucher assistance.
APPLY FOR VOUCHER HERE– November 1 – 26
The online voucher application is now closed. If you are registered to shop at the Blaine/Birch Bay Community Toy Store and need voucher assistance, please call 530-828-5195.
What happens to the sales proceeds? Proceeds from the 2023 toy and gift card sales will be donated to The Bridge Community Hope Center (Birch Bay) Emergency Fund, Valley Church, Blaine Campus’s VC Essentials, providing personal care and household supplies, clothing, and shower and laundry facilities for unhoused neighbors, and Christ Episcopal Church’s Loads of Love program, covering the cost of laundry on the first and third Mondays of each month at The Washhouse in Blaine.
Community Toy Store Guidelines:
- Parents will be allowed to purchase $15 worth of Community Toy Store-priced gifts per child ages 0 – 18 (18 year olds must still be attending high school). This equates to approximately $60 worth of retail value. $25 gift cards to a variety of stores will be available for children ages 11 – 18 (middle schoolers and high schoolers) for $5 per card. There will be a two gift card limit for each middle and high school student. You may also purchase one Barnes and Noble or Michael’s/Hobby Lobby gift card for each of your younger children as part of their $15 per child limit, so you can purchase the specific reading materials or art and crafts supplies that your child wants.
- Each child may only be shopped for one time.
- You must be the parent or legal guardian of the children to shop for them, unless other arrangements are made in advance.
- Payment is cash only! We will not accept bills larger than $20, so please bring enough smaller bills for what you want to purchase.
- Children will not be allowed in the Toy Store. No childcare will be available, so please make other arrangements for your younger children.