WCTV Kindness Day raises more than $40,000 along with food, toys and kids clothing for local nonprofits

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV)- WCTV’s 7th annual Kindness Day was an incredible success thanks to the generosity of community members across the Big Bend.

Last year, the total cash for all three charities combined was $13,350. This year we collected three times more cash collected, with $41,235.40 being the final total!

School supplies filled one SUV last year; this year, we filled four SUVs with warm clothes, coats, gloves, socks and hats, and school supplies for kids.

For canned goods last year, we collected 1,889 pounds, and then this year, one ton was collected! Also, 14 bins of toys were collected as well.

From 5 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., the WCTV team, along with Second Harvest of the Big Bend, Foundation for Leon County Schools, and Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, collected donations at Werner Hyundai.

At last check Thursday night, Foundation for Leon County schools reported more than $7,500 collected in monetary donations, along with 4 Hyundai SUVs filled with warm clothes for Leon County students.

Second Harvest of the Big Bend raised more than $25,000 in monetary donations along with one ton of food. That’s equivalent to about 75,000 meals.

Marine Toys for Tots collected more than $11,000 in monetary donations, 14 bikes and 14 boxes of toys this year.

Our local partners are still tallying the official totals for this incredible event. WCTV will update this article with the final numbers on Friday.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - WCTV’s 7th annual Kindness Day kicks off Thursday morning with several exciting new additions to our biggest event of the year.

During Kindness Day WCTV encourages the community to bring donations for our partners Second Harvest of the Big Bend, Foundation for Leon County Schools, and Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. This community never disappoints.

We’ll be back at Werner Hyundai, located at 252 Capital Circle SW in Tallahassee.

This holiday season, our partners shared the following requests:

Second Harvest of the Big Bend

-Canned fruits, vegetables and meats

-Soups and stews

-Cereal

-Peanut butter

-Monetary donations

Foundation for Leon County Schools

-Coats/Hoodies

-Hats

-Gloves

-Sweaters

-Socks

*for children

Marine Toys for Tots

-Toys for infants and toddlers 0-2 years old

-Gifts for teens

-Science or arts and crafts kits

-Bikes

WCTV is also inviting parents to take advantage of our ‘Kids Hour’ from 4 p.m.-5p.m. If your child brings a donation, they’ll receive free ice cream from Momma P’s Ice Cream Truck.

Those who cannot make it in person can make an online donation here.

We’ll be collecting donations until 6:30 p.m.

Watch Eyewitness News at 11 to hear the final total, and how you helped make Christmas a little brighter for those in need.

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