When Glen Carter checked Toys for Tots drop-off sites this week, he found only a few toys at each location.

The area coordinator for Toys for Tots said toy collection so far is low, while the need is high.

In the Tri-City area, Toys for Tots plans to help about 6,000 children from families in need this Christmas, Carter said.

That is about 20 percent more than the charity helped last year, and the goal is to collect 15,000 to 20,000 toys, he said.

"I can't give away more than I've got, and I don't want anybody to go without," Carter said.

At this point, 2,500 children from Benton and Franklin counties are signed up to receive toys, he said.

On Saturday and Sunday, more families will be able to enroll children from birth to age 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the state Department of Social and Health Services office at 1120 N. Edison St., Kennewick.

On Thursday, Toyota of the Tri-Cities donated $5,000 to Toys for Tots. The Kennewick business has supported Toys for Tots the past 14 years and also will collect new, unwrapped toys in the auto dealer's showroom for Toys for Tots.

That definitely will help, Carter said, but more donations are needed to provide enough gifts for each child.

The goal is to provide four toys, with one main toy. Fewer may be given to each child depending on community support.

Toys for Tots, operated through the Tri-Cities Marine Corps League, uses an estimated 2 percent of donations for administration, such as gas and fees to store toys. Volunteers run the group, Carter said.

For more information about Toys for Tots, go to pasco-wa.toysfortots.org.

The 18 toy drop-off locations also are available on the website under the Toy Drop-Offs tab. Donations of money are accepted online.