When he was about 3 years old, Joshua Moore started a tradition of going through his toys before Christmas and donating anything he didn’t play with much to other children.

Every year, Joshua wanted to give more and more.

So several years ago, Joshua and his family started a toy drive. It’s a tradition that has continued to grow.

This year, Joshua’s fourth annual Toy Drive is accepting donations to give to local families in need. Joshua also hopes to be able to donate a Bible to each family.

“Some children don’t get toys for Christmas, and I want them to get something for Christmas,” said Joshua, 10, a fourth-grader at Falls Road Baptist Church School.

Anyone who would like to donate new or gently used toys, money, gift cards or Bibles to the drive this year can visit a sponsoring location to drop them off. Sponsors include all of the Rocky Mount fire departments, Hampton Inn in Rocky Mount, Falls Road Baptist Church School, Southern Bank in Battleboro, Southern Bank in Red Oak, Harper’s Nursery, Westridge Grill and Allen’s Nursery.

The toy drive started Oct. 15 and will continue through Dec. 15.

Joshua’s mom, Samantha Moore, said the community has donated thousands of toys during the past few years to Joshua’s Toy Drive.

“We’ve been very blessed that the community has gotten behind him,” Moore said.

In the past, the family has donated toys from the drives to the Ronald McDonald House in Greenville and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, both of which Joshua’s family has benefited from.

Joshua was born with an intestinal disease called necrotizing enterocolitis.

The family also has donated toys from the toy drive to My Sister’s House in the past.

The toys mean a lot to the children who receive them on Christmas morning, Moore said.

“A toy may be a small token to us, but it just makes a big difference in the eyes of a child,” she said.

But people who donate also benefit from doing so, Moore said.
“As far as we’re concerned, we get the blessing from doing this,” she said.

Joshua said it makes him happy and proud to help others. He said he hopes children will have fun with the toys.

This year, he already has picked out some toys from home to donate, including an Apples to Apples Junior game and a Legos kit.

Joshua also saves toys from his Happy Meal anytime he goes to McDonald’s to give away for stocking stuffers.

“He just wants to do things for other children who aren’t as fortunate,” Samantha Moore said.