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63 years of Christmas sharing

63 years of Christmas sharing
Bidwell Riverside Center has operated a Christmas Sharing program for 63 years, and gave Christmas toys, stocking stuffers, hats, gloves and blankets to more than 1,400 children last year.


October 25, 2017

Bidwell Riverside Center has started to solicit help in making their 63rd year of sharing the most impactful yet. We’re seeking toys for all ages to make this year a success and bring joy to even more children. 


Learn more about the Bidwell Riverside Center Toy Drive

Most needed items include: Toys, stocking stuffers, books, hats & gloves, stuffed animals, $10 and $20 gift cards to Walmart, Target, and other grocery stores. Donated items can be dropped off in our administrative office located on the back side of the yellow day care building at 1203 Hartford Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa. Toys and other items may be dropped off between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm Monday through Friday. To drop off toys in the evening or weekends, please email Missy Reams at [email protected] to make arrangements. 

We are also accepting other, non-toy items to make a family’s holiday brighter. These items include: food donations for holiday meals (turkeys, hams, whole chickens, Cornish hens, turkey loafs and other sides), blankets, and cash donations. We collect quilts, blankets and comforters to give to the children who participate in our Christmas toy drive- blankets of all sizes are welcome. 

Friends of Bidwell who are interested in sponsoring a toy or food drive to help families in need can contact Missy Reams at [email protected] or 515-244-6251, option 5. 

The Toy Pantry will be open Sunday, December 10th, 2:00-4:00 pm, Wednesday, December 13th, 6:30-8:30 pm, and Saturday, December 16th, 2:00-4:00 pm. 

About Bidwell Riverside Center 

Bidwell Riverside Center is committed to a vision of a future where no one lives in poverty and every person has the opportunity for a positive future. Established in 1893 by a group of Methodist women dedicated to helping disadvantaged families, Bidwell has evolved into a secular organization seeking to build hope for a better future by providing support through two primary programs, a distribution center and child development center.