Volunteers Canvass Microsoft Collecting Donated Gifts for Hopelink

About 30 volunteers canvassed 's campus on Wednesday morning to collect donated toys and other children's gifts for .

The group of volunteers, which included representatives from the Rotary Club of Redmond and the , split up into small groups to hit 96 individual buildings on the sprawling campus. At each building, volunteers and Hopelink representatives collected children's toys, clothing and other gifts that had been set aside for the nonprofit's holiday gift rooms.

Families in need will have the opportunity to "shop" for their loved ones at Hopelink facilities around King County beginning this weekend.

Microsoft employees are some of the holiday gift program's biggest supporters, collectively donating more than 2,000 individual gifts to Hopelink last winter. The company also matches donations with cash, typically bringing in upwards of $50,000 each year for Hopelink.

Patch participated in Wednesday's effort as part of its Give 5 volunteer program. Through Give 5, all Patch employees are given the opportunity to spend five working days each year as community volunteers.

If you're looking for opportunities to volunteer in the Kirkland area, be sure to check out the "Volunteers Needed" section on Kirkland Patch.

A final note: several other businesses and organizations around Redmond are collecting toys for Hopelink this holiday season, including the . You can also click here for information on donating gifts directly to Hopelink.