Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year across the U.S. as millions of Americans hit their favorite stores in search of the best deals.

But one charity in the Southern Tier is reminding shoppers to think about the children this holiday season.

What You Need To Know

  • The Children's Charity of Greater Binghamton hosted a toy drive at Mirabito Gas Station, which offered 40 cents off a gallon

  • All toys will be brought to toys for tots and distributed to children throughout the Southern Tier in time for the holidays

  • Organizers say since COVID, the need for toy donations has grown

A unique toy drive is making sure everyone has something to unwrap this holiday.

The holiday season is a time for giving, but with inflation rates skyrocketing, that is becoming harder and harder in 2023.

For children across New York, charities can be more important now than ever.

Nonprofits like the Children’s Charity of Greater Binghamton are facing their biggest need yet.

"Since COVID, we've gotten more requests from specific families for donations," said Children’s Charity of Greater Binghamton Vice President Katie Carpenter. "We also donate to the Catholic Charities Teen Transitional Living Program just because they're older. So Toys for Tots doesn't hit that age group. And so we just try to donate in as many avenues as we can and try to hit all of the ages, because it's just every child deserves a good Christmas."

New York is home to more than four million children. Just over one million are under the age of 5.

This comes as the nationwide child poverty rate more than doubled last year.

It’s what motivated people like Jim Schmitt of Brackney, P.A. to give back this Black Friday.

“I’ve been lucky in my life," Schmitt said. "And you like to give, to help somebody else that isn’t as fortunate as you are."

The Children’s Charity gathered donations at the Mirabito Gas Station in Vestal.

Shoppers on the busy parkway were drawn to donate thanks to the 40 cents off a gallon offered.

As the van fills up with toys, members of the Children’s Charity are reminded of the giving spirit of this community.

"We're always surprised that every year just gets bigger because," Carpenter said. "We're always wondering, is this going to be a year where it's a little slower and every year, like this year, the truck is overflowing. We're not able to hold all the toys in the truck. So we're just really blown away by that and very grateful."

All toys will be brought to Toys for Tots and distributed to children throughout the Southern Tier in time for the holidays.