Toys for Tickets program gives boxes of goodies to domestic violence shelter

Four large boxes of toys donated by people in lieu of paying a fine for a parking ticket were handed over Thursday to Safe Nest, Nevada’s largest domestic violence shelter program, to distribute among children at the shelter.

Director of Community and Donor Relations Hannah Brook was on hand to receive the toys. Many of the services Safe Nest provides, like counseling and domestic violence education programs, directly involve children.

“When they come into a shelter, we make it as warm and comfortable as we can so they can start healing,” said Brook.

During any given month, Safe Nest provides shelter for 30 to 50 children, according to Brook. As for the toys, she said they’re a way to help normalize kids’ lives in the wake of a trauma: “It’s something to make them feel at home.”

Last month, the Las Vegas City Council approved a program that would allow minor parking violation offenders to pay their fine in a novel way: through donating a toy of equal or greater value as payment for the fines.

The Toys for Tickets program is the first of its kind in Las Vegas, although other cities, like Lexington, Kentucky, have similar arrangements. Those who received non-public safety issue tickets between Nov. 15th and Nov. 30th were eligible for the program.

According to Parking Services Manager Brandy Stanley, the toys gathered were the result of 17 parking tickets of approximately $500 value.

“Some people came in thinking their tickets would qualify and they didn’t,” said city employee Claudia Lopez. “But they still gave a charitable contribution.”

One such contribution was made by a man with $300 worth of parking fines who didn’t fall within the limits of the program, but still donated toys, including a Star Wars stormtrooper helmet with a voice modulator.

Parking Services Administrative Support Assistant Evelyn Valdez worried there wouldn’t be enough donations. So she rallied fellow parking employees to raise more funds, purchasing giftcards, body wash, lotion, and makeup.

“I know they had toys for the younger kids, but I wanted to make sure we had stuff for the teenagers,” she said.

Contact Brooke Wanser at bwanser@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Bwanser_LVRJ on Twitter.