Lewes teen launches community toy drive for children in need

One Lewes teen plans to encourage creativity and brighten the days for local children while also completing a class project.

Sussex Academy junior Alissa Swann has launched a community donation drive called Toys for Joy, which will run from Thursday, April 1 through Friday, April 30, at Kids’ Ketch in Lewes. 

“Toys are great for children because they inspire creativity,” Alissa said. “When I was little, I played with toys, and they helped me to be more open-minded and creative. It’s also important just to have fun, especially in a pandemic.”

Alissa said she was thankful to Kids’ Ketch owners and her employers, Lori and Sandy Smyth, who have allowed a toy donation box and monetary donation canister to be placed near the store cash register.

Toys can be brought in from elsewhere and don’t need to be purchased at Kids’ Ketch, Alissa said; they just need to be new in their original packaging. New clothing and books are also accepted, she said.  

Alissa has earmarked half of the donations for What is Your Voice women’s and children’s shelter, and the other half will go to the Food Bank of Delaware in Milford. She said she chose those locations because they accept toy donations, and she wanted toys to go to local children.

“Giving kids toys will make them happy and give them something to look forward to every day,” she said.