Morning Pointe Senior Living and the Samaritan Center in Ooltewah have partnered for the Samaritan Center’s annual Christmas toy drive for the past 10 years. Every year since 2010, Morning Pointe has collected toys to help stock the Samaritan Center’s Christmas Toyland for the holidays, ensuring that every child in Hamilton County has the opportunity to experience the magic and wonder of the Christmas season, officials said.
In 10 years, Morning Pointe has collected over $25,000 in donations.
Each year, Morning Pointe residents and associates gather at Morning Pointe of Chattanooga at
Shallowford to present Samaritan Center representatives with a half-a-dozen barrels overflowing with toys. Morning Pointe communities across Hamilton County collected donations for the toy drive, focusing particularly on toys that would appeal to teens and tweens, as the Samaritan Center often experiences a shortage of gifts for this important group, officials said.
Participating Morning Pointe communities included Morning Pointe of Chattanooga at
Shallowford, Morning Pointe of Collegedale at Greenbriar Cove, Morning Pointe of Hixson,
Morning Pointe of East Hamilton and The Lantern at Morning Pointe of Collegedale, along with
the home office in Ooltewah. The Lantern at Morning Pointe of Chattanooga is under renovation
following the Easter night tornado earlier this year. The toy donation drive is going on through
Dec. 31.
“In a year of challenges related to the pandemic and the Easter tornado, we can still make an impact on wonderful organizations like the Samaritan Center,” said Morning Pointe Senior Living President and Co-Founder Greg A. Vital. “Every year, Morning Pointe looks forward to opening our hearts and wallets to help bring Christmas to many throughout the Hamilton County area.”