Facing a dramatic toy shortage,The Salvation Army of Sacramento has announced a partnership with the Sacramento Metro Chamber for an eleventh-hour push to receive new, unwrapped toys this week. The Metro Chamber reached out to many of its members to help donate to the Salvation Army Toy Drive or to host a donation bin at their business location. A couple of member businesses responded in a big way: Bank of America and Wells Fargo.

Bank of America has agreed to participate as a toy drop-off site in eight bank locations throughout the Sacramento region, through Friday, Dec. 18. Further, Wells Fargo Northern California Foundation is making a donation of $5,000 to The Salvation Army to help supplement the cost for any purchase of toys this Christmas.

Currently, only 9,000 toys have been collected, which is far short of The Salvation Army's goal of 18,000.

"This is a major uphill battle that we are facing," said David Bentley, Salvation Army Sacramento County coordinator. "It's not a pretty picture. The Salvation Army is simply facing a situation where there are not enough toys for all of the families we have committed to assist this Christmas. We appreciate what the Sacramento Metro Chamber and its members, Bank of America and Wells Fargo, have done to help us meet our goals this Christmas."

More than 5,000 families from Sacramento County have applied and have qualified to receive assistance this Christmas from The Salvation Army.

All of the toys will need to be collected before this weekend, because The Salvation Army intends to use every one of the donated toys for the Dec. 19 Christmas Distribution at Cal Expo. For more information, contact Syd Fong at 916-563-3731.

Recently Added Bank of America Locations for Salvation Army Toy drop-off locations:
 

• Arden-Morse: 3101 Arden Way, Sacramento
• Cordova Village: 10607 Folsom Blvd, Rancho Cordova
• Folsom: 403 East Bidwell St., Folsom
• North Natomas: 2861 Del Paso Road, Sacramento
• Sunrise Center: 7850 Kingswood Drive, Citrus Heights
• Elk Grove: 8959 Elk Grove Blvd, Elk Grove
• Roseville: Creekside Banking Center, 1188 Galleria Blvd., Roseville
• Capitol Mall: Sacramento Main, 555 Capitol Mall, Sacramento

Photo: Metro Chamber staff members recently helped bag up toys for more than 700 families for the Salvation Army Toy Drive.