PORT ST. LUCIE — Just because you do something for decades, doesn’t mean you can’t do it better.

For that reason, CCKids is rolling out an online component to mark the 23rd anniversary of its Making Christmas Bright holiday collection.

“We thought, ‘How can we make an already successful project even better,’” said Christmas Kaiser, CCKids community relations director. “The answer was pretty obvious - let’s go online and reach more people.”

Participation is simple: Anyone interested in supporting the drive can click the banner in this email and purchase an item, which will then be shipped directly to CCKids.

The online drive is meant to supplement the existing Making Christmas Bright drive, which seeks toys through a network of local businesses, churches and social groups that coordinate toy drives among their members.

Making Christmas Bright, which in 2018 expanded when it joined forces with Guardians for New Futures and its Angel Tree program, provides nearly 3,000 gifts to children living in foster and protective care in Indian River, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties.

“We’re always looking for new ways to grow and partner in the community,” Kaiser said. “We serve nearly 1,000 children every year, so we need all the help we can get.”

Kaiser said she is unsure how many gifts will be collected through the online portal.

“I anticipate it will become an invaluable tool,” she said, adding that the Toys for Tots campaign in Orlando has been raising money and collecting toys through the same online platform for years. “If nothing else, it will give those who prefer not to go to the store or venture far from home an opportunity to participate.”

The online drive is made possible through a partnership with Fort Pierce company D&W Sourceall and Roonga, an online platform that hosts drives free of charge for non-profits.

To access the drive click the project banner at www.cckids.net.

The portal also houses a link to sign up to become a sponsor for the traditional Making Christmas Bright program. The program works this way:

1. Sign up to become a sponsor by clicking the project banner at www.cckids.net
2. Tell us how many children you’d like to sponsor & we’ll send you a list.
3. Collect the toys among your members.
4. Call us to arrange a pick up!

But be quick! This year’s toy collection end in early December so that we have enough time to organize the gifts and get them out to families.

On desktop, click on the photo below to enlarge it and then scan the QR code with your phone! Then click on the link that opens to donate!