Child advocacy center partners with library for toy drive

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Christmas is around the corner and the Berkeley County Library System has partnered with Dorchester Children’s Advocacy Center for a toy drive.

Operation E.L.F. is Dorchester Children’s Advocacy Center’s annual toy drive for the kids and families they serve.

Clinical Outreach Coordinator Brooke Anderson says many parents and caregivers they help don’t have the resources to buy new items and operation E.L.F. gifts are the only ones they open on Christmas.

E.L.F stands for enhancing the lives of children and families in the community and each year they provide toys for about 300 kids who have received a service from the organization in the past three years.

Anderson says instead of the library or the center handing out gifts to the kids they are given to family members or caregivers to distribute as they choose.

“That gives them pride and autonomy like I’m giving this, and they don’t even have to tell their kids they got it from us. So, it really just builds them up too and strengthens them and their role in that child’s life,” Anderson says.

The organization is asking for new and unused toys. Anderson says each year there is a lack of gifts for teenagers, so she wants to remind the community to think of them as well.

The gifts must be dropped off at the Cane Bay Library by Dec. 6 or at Dorchester Children’s Advocacy Center between Dec. 5-9.

Dorchester Children’s Advocacy Center is located at 303 E Richardson Ave in Summerville.

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