BERKS COUNTY, Pa. – The Berks County Toys for Tots donation drive is in full swing, and this year organizers say the need is even greater than last year.

“There’s a couple of times throughout the years that I’ve just sat down and cried and I’ve wondered to myself, how am I going to take care of all these kids,” says Berks County Toys for Tots coordinator, Sue Koch.

She has been volunteering with Berks County Toys for Tots for the last 15 years and coordinating it for the last five and says each year she watches the need increase. And not by just a few families.

“At this point I’m at 1,473 families as of this morning (11/5), 47 organizations. That’s 17,121 kids just in Berks County,” Koch said.

The deadline to apply for toys is November 15th.

Nearly 3,000 more children are in need of toys compared to last year and Koch expects that number will go up even more.

“Everybody’s suffering. Everybody’s having a hard time and I get it,” said Koch. “I struggle too.”

Boxes are in businesses and other public locations all around Berks County and they’ll be out until early December for people to place donations in.

Salon Lora near Fleetwood is one of those businesses. Owner Lora Boyer says she has done it for the last five years in honor of her late brother.

“We’ve had very generous clients and friends,” said Boyer. “We have very generous friends that have filled our boxes and really helped to give for the kids.”

You can also donate money. 

Koch says Berks County has always stepped up to help, and she’s counting on that generosity again this year.

“Making sure that a child has gifts under the Christmas tree is one relief off of a parent,” Koch added.