DETROIT – A Detroit nonprofit that provides toys to children each Christmas is struggling after losing donated toys to contamination.
“I started back in 1988 with 22 kids,” said Jimmy Tuman, with Jimmy’s Kids.
Now, it’s a huge tradition in Detroit.
Tuman’s organization has more than 2,000 volunteers that help give back to thousands of kids every Christmas.
“We serve tens of thousands and it’s been an incredible journey to be able to do this. We drive a 26-foot semi down to Southwest Detroit and people line up at 9 a.m. in the morning to get pre-sorted bags,” Tuman said.
Tuman said he starts collecting donations in January, but this year, he ran into an early Grinch.
“Our lockers became contaminated with lethal dust. It was dangerous to go in there," he said.
Tuman said they had to throw the toys away, every last one of them. Even many of his volunteers got sick. Now he’s starting all over again.
“Over 6,000 pounds of toys gone,” Tuman said.
But he said with his belief in God, he’ll get his Christmas miracle.
“I’m pushing it across the finish line. I don’t care how we get it, but people come from all over the country to do this, so I’m not going to let them down,” Tuman said.
If you want to help Jimmy’s Kids, click here.