Salem Health staff and physicians donated more than 3,000 toys to help support local law enforcement’s 2018 holiday toy drives in Marion and Polk counties. Salem Health collected toys from departments across its campuses for the first time ever.

“This is the first year we went from the medical group toy drive to the entire hospital, which is really exciting,” said Sam Weitnauer, Salem Health administrative fellow. “It really was a community effort.”

Oregon Oncology and Salem Clinic also donated hundreds of toys to the effort, which supported the annual Salem Police Department holiday toy drive. Police say 225 area families will receive the donations.

“We are so thankful to all of the community sponsors like Salem Health,” said Jennifer Hingston, Salem Police Department program manager. “Each year we are just amazed by how many toys are collected by Salem Health employees.”

West Valley Hospital in Dallas also collected 250 toys, which went to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office toy drive.