Rising rents and a shortage of affordable housing options are helping to fuel the surge of Toy Fund applications. Many of the families seeking help this year are homeless or have been on the verge of homelessness.

Families seeking help often have many needs and also are getting support just with housing and food. Assistance programs like food stamps or General Assistance help with those needs, but they don’t buy toys and books for children experiencing hard times.

With so many families pushed to the edge financially, the Press Herald Toy Fund has received a surge of applications for help this year. The Toy Fund has received requests to help about 4,200 children this year.

Parents share their heartfelt gratitude to all those who helped give their children a bit of joy for the holidays.

Many of the grandparents who wrote to the Toy Fund for help this year said it’s the high costs of living that make it impossible for them to provide gifts and a sense of normality for their grandchildren.

Gene Miner, 83, died on Sept. 25 after battling cancer. He grew up in a family with 16 children that received gifts from the Toy Fund.

The 75-year-old charity uses donations from readers to buy toys and books for children who otherwise would not receive gifts.

The interactions remind volunteers why they donate their time to keep the fund running – to provide holiday gifts to children who might otherwise get none.

‘Like most, I have been struggling,’ says one mother whose work hours were recently reduced.