Monroe Police Dept. collects toys to give to children impacted by violence

Local children impacted by domestic and sexual violence will have a better holiday thanks to the efforts of a local police department.
Monroe police officers have been donating toys to the Center for Family Justice in Bridgeport for many years. For the first time ever, they are now doing it in a community event called Stuff the Gazebo.
Monroe police reached out to the community and alerted them to the idea on their Facebook page. On Dec. 11, people are asked to bring a gift to the gazebo and then those toys will be brought to the Center for Family Justice in Bridgeport.
Police are looking for any kind of gifts - including dolls and Legos.
Police say it is important to give these children something at a critical time of the year.
"The children that usually receive the gifts that are going to be donated or plan to be donated are kids that have suffered immensely in a lot of different ways and have seen and witnessed things and been victims of things that no children should ever have to experience. So, we do hope to be able to help their families to provide a good Christmas for them so that they can be kids and enjoy the spirit of Christmas as it should be as a child," said Detective Nicole Buckley.
Police say they are already hearing from a lot of people in the community who are anxious to contribute.