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Portsmouth nonprofit makes Christmas happen by collecting $15,000 worth of toys for local families

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PORTSMOUTH, Va. – One local nonprofit made Christmas happen for Portsmouth families on Saturday.

Mercy Drops Dream Center threw three Christmas parties for under-resourced neighborhoods as part of its “Christmas in Portsmouth” extravaganza.

The center collected presents for 192 families, totaling more than $15,000 worth of toys. The effort was done in conjunction with business partners like Safelite AutoGlass as well as college students just wanting to make a difference.

Chief Dream Officer Joe Friszolowski founded Mercy Drops Dream Center more than seven years ago. Since then, the nonprofit has built a strong relationship with the City of Portsmouth.

Mercy Drops started with a dream for 20 children to have a Christmas morning, and this year it reached its goal of making Christmas happen for nearly 200 families.

Click here to learn more about Mercy Drops Dream Center.