POST FALLS - Toys for Tots will open its application center in Post Falls on Saturday, and low-income families who reside in Kootenai County are encouraged to apply.

The application center is located in a strip mall on the northeast corner of Mullan Avenue and Highway 41, at 920 N. Highway 41 in suite No. 8.

Organizer Ron Bell, a former U.S. Marine, said applicants need to be on some sort of public assistance, or fall 150 percent below the federal poverty level.

Bell said proof of income or public assistance is necessary. Proof could include check stubs, lay-off letters or past tax returns.

"They also need to prove residency in Kootenai County," he said. "And they must be the custodial parent if they are a single-parent family."

Last year Toys for Tots gave toys to 2,578 Kootenai County children belonging to 1,249 families. They collected 18,011 toys through donations, and purchased another 2,333 toys to meet the shortfall.

Bell said they also receive a lot of donations from a group called Books for Tots.

"They supply us with most of the books we receive," he said.

Toys for Tots typically comes up short on toys for older children, Bell said. They tend to get a lot of toys for children 5 years or younger, but they really need more for the older children.

Toys can be dropped off at any of the 200 locations that are taking donations in Kootenai County. Many of the area churches participate, as well as major retailers.

The application center will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday until Dec. 17.

Bell said recipients will get a pick-up slip to redeem their toys at the Kootenai Fire and Rescue Training center Warehouse at 5721 E. Seltice Way in Post Falls.

Toys for Tots will start calling recipient families as their orders are processed and ready for pick up. Those calls will start Monday morning, he said.