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  • Rebeka Rutledge/The Duncan Banner Barbara Hire, Margo Webb and Connie Roebuck are Toy Shop volunteers who put together several Easter egg baskets, which they donated to Christians Concerned.

    3-19 Toy Shop baskets2.jpg
March 20, 2013

Non-profits team up to make Easter brighter

Rebeka Rutledge The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — Two local charitable organizations are pairing up together to make this Easter holiday a little brighter for children of needy families.

When the Duncan Toy Shop received donations of about 50 Easter egg baskets, the organization members didn’t know what to do with them since their annual gift giving takes place at Christmas. A solution was found when they decided to fill them with some of the smaller toys donated to them and hand them over to Christians Concerned.

“Christians Concerned gives out goodie bags to children of the families who come to get food boxes,” said Connie Roebuck, Toy Shop volunteer. “So, we thought it would be nice to give Easter baskets during these two weeks before Easter.”

Being a win-win for both organizations and a special touch to the children of families who need a little extra help this month, Christians Concerned director Cassie Gilmore agreed to the partnership.

“I’m super excited,” she said. “It’s a fun idea.”

Toy Shop volunteers spent Monday morning putting the baskets together at Christians Concerned. All baskets should be ready to go by Wednesday.

Gilmore said Christians Concerned has seen a 47 percent increase this year in the number of families who have needed grocery assistance. About 115 families were helped in January alone.

To help keep their food pantry stocked, Christians Concerns is always accepting donations.

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