MILWAUKEE -- Many families across the Milwaukee area will have a Merry Christmas this year thanks to the Salvation Army.

The organization’s Christmas Toy Shop closed on Wednesday. This year, the shop collected more than 45,000 toys which were given to around 8,000 children.

“We have all kinds of toys from baby to age 15,” Salvation Army major Mary Boyle said. “Educational toys, books, games, you name it, we have it.”

Some of the toys collected by the Salvation Army were from the CBS 58 Holiday Toy Drive held last month.