Mainers struggling with rising costs, mental health and child care seek Toy Fund’s help

The housing crisis. Mental health care waiting lists. The overdose epidemic. The child care shortage. Unaffordable health insurance. Disruptions in food benefits.

There’s been no shortage of challenges facing Mainers this year. It can seem like a minefield of societal crises out there. Confronting any one of them can spell disaster for families already struggling with the cost of living.

And like streams feeding a flooded river, all of them have led desperate parents to reach out to the Press Herald Toy Fund to make sure their children can experience the joy and wonder of the holidays this year.

“My son lost his dad two and half years ago due to an overdose,” wrote a mother from southern Maine struggling to pay bills. “I’ve been struggling with depression lately, feeling like I’m failing as a mom. I always do my best to make sure that my children have everything that they need. I’d be so grateful for some help … giving my three kids the best Christmas with gifts under the tree. God bless.”

“Our rent was raised on us last month, creating a huge burden on us financially,” wrote a mother of two from the Midcoast. “We were already struggling before but we now feel as if we are drowning.”

“My place of work is changing health insurance carriers and as it stands, it’s looking like the premiums are going up no matter how things turn out,” wrote a mother of two from Cumberland County. Already, she wrote, “I have been having to play catch up on bills in order to put food on the table. I’d love to give my kids a good Christmas and this would be such a great help during this time.”

“I have been struggling with mental health for the past five years (and) not working due to my mental health and anxiety,” wrote a father of three from southern Maine. “I am slowly regaining strength to balance life with self coping skills. The wait list for mental health care in Maine is very congested, as mental illness is on the rise. …We will be thankful and have gratitude if we get Christmas assistance this year. Thank you.”

“I am currently a stay-at-home mom, mostly because we could not find affordable childcare,” wrote a mother of two from Androscoggin County. “I am currently attending community college online, so that I can do medical coding and billing from home, earning an income and staying home to raise the children. … The boys have been so good this year and I don’t want them to think that Santa hasn’t realized how wonderful they are…so any help would be greatly appreciated!”

The Toy Fund uses the donations of newspaper readers to buy toys and books for kids up to 16 years old in York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Androscoggin and Knox counties.

The charity has experienced a surge in demand this year, with requests to help more than 4,800 Maine children in need.

Anyone making an online donation to the Toy Fund through Dec. 19 will be entered to win four tickets to Portland Ovations’ “Recycle Percussion” show on Jan. 22 at Merrill Auditorium.

The Portland Press Herald and Lewiston Sun Journal publish lists of the donations along with stories about the holiday gift drive from Thanksgiving through the month of December.

HOW TO HELP:

To make a donation online, go to pressherald.com/toy-fund.

Checks made out to the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund may be mailed to 295 Gannett Drive, South Portland, ME 04106.

Names of donors are published in the Press Herald and Lewiston Sun Journal unless a donor wishes to remain anonymous.

TODAY’S DONATIONS:

$263.33: Happy Holidays! — The Eckersley-Ray Family
$25.00: In memory of Tom and Brett Cooper — Anonymous
$25.00: In memory of David Farnham — Anonymous
$526.35: Thank you to the organizers and volunteers who make this possible for the kids in our community. Maine Orthodontics — Setarah Razzaghi
$52.92: Anonymous
$105.52: Margie and Charlie Emmons
$52.92: Anonymous
$158.13: In memory of Mom, Dad and Linda — Anonymous
$105.52: Barrett Alexander
$105.52: Merry Christmas. Martha and Gary — Martha Warren
$105.52: In loving memory of Evan Pygman, Josephine & Roland Goss. — Anonymous
$52.92: Anonymous
$105.52: In memory of Sally and Bob Allard — Anonymous
$105.52: Anonymous
$210.73: In loving memory of Larry Pixley — Robin Ratcliffe
$52.92: In memory of Jean, who loved Christmas — Anonymous
$52.92: Anonymous
$105.52: In memory of my family at Christmas — Anonymous
$158.13: Hope it helps — Anonymous
$52.92: Anonymous
$105.52: Merry Christmas in memory of Teddy and Milo — Anonymous
$52.92: Anonymous
$200.00: In memory of Margery Murphy — Anonymous
$1,052.39: Anonymous
$30.00: Anonymous
$105.52: Merry Christmas — Mark Russell
$841.98: In memory of Nancy & David McHugh from your family — Anonymous
$52.92: Anonymous
$526.35: In memory of Lana Hood & William Hood Jr. — Anonymous
$52.92: Anonymous
$105.52: Lauren & Caroline Hester — Andrea Hester
$21.63: Anonymous
$31.88: Donate. Put a smile on a child’s face — Jacquie Delano
$105.52: Merry Christmas — Peter & Cecilia Brown
$105.52: Merry Christmas! Have fun Kids!! — Mark and Susan Scheffer
$210.73: In memory of Ellery Linen — Cameron Linen
$100.00: Ken Spirer and Joan Leitzer
$105.52: Children are gifts worth celebrating — Epstein Family
$52.92: Anonymous
$31.88: Have a fun holiday! Secret Santa — Anonymous
$210.73: Happy Holidays and wishes for a season of love and light! — Anonymous
$105.52: In loving memory of Phyllis Kaye — Anonymous
$105.52: Michael Miller
$210.73: Anonymous
$105.52: David Lloyd
$21.36: Merry Christmas — Anonymous
$52.92: In loving memory of Alice Davis. Debbie & Mick — Deborah Cunningham
$250.00: Lawrence Davis
$150.00: From the grandkids of Bob’s Welding (retired): Abby, Sam, Carly, Molly, Xavier and Maddox — Robert Dee
$50.00: Paying it forward — Ronald and Patricia Harwood
$20.00: Merry Christmas to all children and all helpers — Helen Peterson
$100.00: Jon and Marjorie Oxman
$100.00: In memory of Bab Gagnon and Irene Kendall — Margaret and Jerry Kendall
$100.00: Linda Hanscom
$100.00: Anne Wood
$100.00: In honor of my grandchildren: Brandon, Connor, Samantha and Trevor —Anonymous
$250.00: Richard Driver
$1,000.00: Proud to help you meet your goals for 2025! — Employees Community Action Committee of General Dynamics, Saco
$100.00: Anonymous
$50.00: In memory of Adam Clark — Anonymous
$100.00: The Micoleau family
$50.00: Merry Christmas — Emery Goff
$105.52: Anonymous
$50.00: Anonymous
$100.00: In memory of Janice A. Merrow — Roger Merrow
$25.00: In memory of our four Doggie Angels: Szarik, Missy, Abby and Phantasia — Tom and Marianne Koceiko
$25.00: In memory of our parents, Ethel and Witold Koceiko — Tom and Marianne Koceiko
$50.00: Thanks for helping the children! — Anonymous
$100.00: Cynthia and David McLean
$5,000.00: Barbara Gorman
$100.00: Matthew Muzzy
$1,980.00: Women’s Riverside Golf Association
$5,000.00: In memory of Eleanor and Leo Joy – who loved all children — Kathy and Jay Lowery
$250.00: For Maria and Dorothy and Miss Amelia — Capt. Rob Odlin, Diving Adventures Inc.
$200.00: Debby and Peter Murray
$100.00: In memory of Pat Gribbon — Anne Gribbon
$100.00: Anonymous

Year to date total: $104,109.45.

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