WEST PALM BEACH — While scooters, bikes and remote-control cars topped the list of things children in Palm Beach County wanted for Christmas, new clothes, shoes and personal hygiene items were added to the list for more than 1,000 children of low-income families here.

Christians Reaching Out to Society (CROS) celebrated Christmas by distributing toys to children whose families otherwise would not have had many gifts under the Christmas tree, according to Karen Mills, CROS’s office administrator. "We make sure the children get not just a toy, but something they need as well," Mills said. "Some of them are refugee children…who wouldn’t have gotten anything for Christmas."

Various churches and groups, including the Palm Beach County Health Dept and St. Johns Haitian Mission in Boynton Beach, gave the families’ names to CROS. Individuals who knew a family in need and an interpreter with the Palm Beach County courts provided other names.

April Hazamy, coordinator for CROS’s Caring Kitchen, collected names and delivered presents to families helped by the feeding program. "What we did here was in August and September we asked around and told people we were taking names for this program," Hazamy said. "We then visited the homes to get an idea of the need and confirm that there were children. We also visited so we could deliver the toys."

During those visits Mills said volunteers were asked to get shoe and clothing sizes so they could buy items that would fit the children.

The lists of needs were given to community organizations, including many of the county’s United Methodist churches. The Methodist Moms group from First United Methodist Church of Jupiter/Teuqesta held a book drive. A local Christian motorcycle group collected stuffed animals and delivered them to CROS on their bikes. Target department stores gave CROS a $2,000 grant that enabled volunteers to buy gifts for 80 kids.

The gifts were delivered Dec. 11-15 to the organizations that submitted names. Those groups then gave the gifts to the families Dec. 18-22.

Mills said it was her job to keep track of the children’s names and the toys they requested. Of all the requests, she said she would remember the few that did not include toys. "The ones that really touched me the most didn’t ask for toys," Mills said. "They asked for socks or shoes. Those are the kids who are really in need."

CROS is an outreach ministry partially supported by the Florida Conference’s Mission Ministry budget. Its mission is to help local congregations meet the needs of low-income children and families in Palm Beach County.