SAN ANTONIO — KENS5 and Weather Chief Bill Taylor are hosting the annual Bill's Elves holiday toy drive to help collect toys and donations for underserved children in San Antonio.
Last year Bill's Elves collected $34,000 in monetary donations and 5,526 toys from a very generous South Texas community. Once again we're reaching out to you, to help these organization bring smiles to the faces of young and old.
This year Bill's Elves is partnering with Child Protective Services, Roy Maas Youth Alternatives, and Urban Faith Mission.
Urban Faith is very active in churches and organizations, by demonstrating love and service work.
Steve Kiolbassa, the founder and Executive Director told us, "It's going to take pressure off of the families in those areas. And then the second thing is it means the world to the kids to not feel disconnected, to not feel isolated. And this communicates to the kids that somebody out there cares for them."
Bill's Elves is also partnering with San Antonio Metropolitan Ministries, SJRC Texas, and Mission Road Ministries.
Mission Road has group homes, a day activity center, a work center, and provides adults with opportunities to look for work and job coaching.
Nick Welch chose to live in one of their community homes. Welch said, "I had to share a room with my brother from the time I was 6 to 25. So, you know, if you consider all that, when you finally get to a room, you're kind of like, thank God."
Mission Road couldn't be more thankful to be a part of Bill's Elves this year.
Laura Butler, the CEO and Chief Operating Officer of Mission Road Ministries told us, "We always want to provide a really great Christmas for everybody and fulfill their wish lists and all that. So it's essential that we do have community partners out there that are that are willing to give our guys a great Christmas."
Bill will be at the Alamo Ranch Target from 4 to 6:30 Thursday collecting. And of course you can always donate online. To find out how, and for more about Bill's Elves click here: kens5.com/billselves or billselves.com.