Anchor Introduction: A challenging economy is still something many Americans are dealing with…and this holiday season, many local families are really feeling the affects of it. Tv-2 reporter Bethany Vietmeier met with Kent Social Services to see what they are doing to help these families.

[Take Package]

[Length 1:49]

[CG: Christie Anderson/[0:20]

[CG: Christie Anderson/][0:48]

[CG: Beth Vietmeier/TV2 reporter [1:04]

[CG: James Samels/[1:22]

[CG: Christie Anderson/[1:39]

It’s that time of year again…

Stores are packed with holiday shoppers…

And presents are beginning to pile up under trees…

But not everyone is so fortunate this season.

Direct of Kent Social Services, Christie Anderson, said the number of local families who cannot afford presents has hit a record high of 280.

SOT: LAST YEAR WE HAD ABOUT 200 FAMILIES FROM KENT. WE KNEW THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE SO WE THOUGH MAYBE 15 PERCENT MORE, BUT WE ARE ASTOUND AT THIS POINT BY THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT HAVE COME FORWARD WITH THE NEED THIS YEAR.

With that many families…

Comes a lot of children to provide gifts for..

And although the presents have begun piling up at Kent Social Services, they are still worried they will not be able to provide everyone with gifts…

SOT: I AM BECOMING CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING ENOUGH TOYS.

STANDUP: HOWEVER, A LOCAL DEPARTMENT WHO ALREADY GIVES SO MUCH BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IS GIVING EVEN MORE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON TO HELP KENT SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE COMMUNITY.

The City of Kent Fire Department is collecting toys for the toy drive at both of their stations.

SOT: WE REALLY WENT TO THE SOCIAL SERVICE THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT IS A DEMANDING YEAR BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY MORE PEOPLE THIS YEAR THAT ARE OUT OF WORK AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE BEEN FORECLOSED ON AND FALLEN ON HARD TIMES.

SOT: WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THEY ACTUALLY CAME TO US ABOUT HELPING WITH THE TOY DRIVE. IT’S GREAT BECAUSE THE FIR DEPARTMENTS ARE OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY.

For TV-2 news, I’m Bethany Vietmeier.

Anchor tag: Kent Social Services and the City of Kent Fire Department will be accepting gifts until December 10.

Critique: I enjoyed doing this package; however, I really think it would have been better if I could have talked to a family. I was in constant communication with Christie Anderson from Kent Social Services trying to find a family I could take to and she kept telling me she didnt think a family would want to talk on camera about it. That is when I decided to go with the fire department and interview them because I knew they were helping with the toy drive. One other item I wish I could have changed was the opening nat sound. I wish it would have been stronger.