FORT PIERCE — CASTLE, the Treasure Coast’s leading child abuse education and prevention program, recently announced its annual Holiday Toy Drive. CASTLE has a client base of over 3,000 families, and 11,000 individuals, hundreds of whom will not be able to provide gifts for their children this holiday season.

“The holidays are an especially difficult and stressful time for so many families,” stated Chris Robertson, director of development for CASTLE. “Many parents are unemployed and they’re struggling just to put food on the table and keep the lights on, so toys under the tree aren’t something they can even think of providing. It breaks their hearts, but they simply don’t have any choices.”

The children included in the program are newborn to 17 years of age and the needs are everything from clothing, learning toys, nursery items, bedding and blankets, books, baby dolls, cars and trucks, games, underwear and socks for the younger children to sporting goods, makeup and nail kits, MP3 players and radios, watches and wallets for the older children.

Larger items that would be appreciated include bicycles, tricycles, wagons, skateboards, scooters, water sports items, outdoor sports items and age appropriate gift certificates. All items must be new and unwrapped. Cash donations are welcome and all gifts are tax deductible.

Dozens of businesses are collecting these items. Some of the businesses in Indian River County are SunTrust Banks on 43rd Avenue and U.S.#1, Marine Bank & Trust on Beachland Blvd, PNC Banks on 20th St. and Hwy. A1A, True Colors Salon and Spa, and Vero Beach Magazine. In St. Lucie County, drop off points include Rosslow’s Women’s Apparel, Pineapple Joe’s, Hilton Garden Inn PGA Village, Gold’s Gym, Old Navy in Tradition, Post Insurance, Super Play, Ray’s Pantry, Nature’s Way Health Club, Presutti’s Italian Subs, State Farm Insurance on Sunrise Blvd., and St. Lucie Lanes. In Martin County, toys can be dropped off at BB&T on High Meadows Avenue and SE Federal Hwy., Wallace Jeep, Plato’s Closet, Napa Auto Parts on SE Federal Hwy, GXR 4X4 Stoney’s, Leaning Express Toys, Cove Center Chiropractic, Planet Fitness and Rosiland’s Uptown Fitness. On Hutchinson Island, drop toys off at Empress, Claridge by the Sea, Island Club, Miramar Royal, Oceana North 1 and Cap’s Island Grille. For a complete list of drop off locations, visit CASTLE’s website at www.castletc.org.

Of course, CASTLE is also accepting toys at their facilities. Addresses for CASTLE are 1275 Old Dixie Highway in Vero Beach; 3525 W. Midway Road in Fort Pierce; and 3824 SE Dixie Highway in Vero Beach. Deadline for dropping off items is Thursday, Dec. 15.

About CASTLE

CASTLE is a Florida non-profit agency offering parenting education via in-home counseling, monitored visitations, and classes for first time parents, parents going through a divorce and children experiencing confusion due to divorce. CASTLE serves the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee counties including Stuart, Port Saint Lucie, Fort Pierce and Vero Beach, with a mission to improve the quality of family life and prevent child abuse and neglect while teaching parents to love, nurture and discipline their children safely. CASTLE is a United Way partner organization and is supported by the area Children's Services Councils. CASTLE facilities are located in St. Lucie County (772-465-6011), Martin County (772-781-4510) and Indian River County (772-567-5700). You can also visit them on-line at www.castletc.org.

For further information about CASTLE or this press release, call Chris Robertson, Director of Development, at 772-567-5700.