Recognizing that there are literally thousands of families in desperate need of assistance during the holiday season, Bank of North Georgia is hosting a Holiday Toy Drive through December 19 at all 43 branches in metro Atlanta.

“Bank of North Georgia is very much at the heart of community life in North Georgia, supporting those institutions and programs that make the communities we serve desirable places to live and work. Our branch teams are excited to embrace a local charity this season by collecting new, unwrapped toys to help local families. We are hoping that all children will have a joyous holiday this year,” said Kessel Stelling, President and CEO of Bank of North Georgia.

Each branch selected a local charity to support as outlined below. Customers and local residents can participate in the Holiday Toy Drive by bringing new, unwrapped toys for boys and girls to the following Bank of North Georgia branches:

Buford - Gwinnett Children's Shelter. Currently, the shelter serves 300-500 children and their families every year. www.gwinnettchildrenshelter.org

Canton – Salvation Army of Cherokee County. The Salvation Army Cherokee County Service Center provides emergency food, clothing, lodging, transportation, supplies for infants, prescription vouchers, rent and utility assistance, counseling, and referrals to other more comprehensive Salvation Army crisis centers to individuals and families facing a financial crisis. www.uss.salvationarmy.org

Cumming – YMCA of Forsyth County. The Holiday Giving Tree for Kids is organized through the YMCA, but made possible by a network of local businesses, corporations, churches and civic groups throughout Forsyth County, to provide relief to struggling families with youth by providing clothing, toys, school supplies and gifts of joy during the holiday season.

Jasper - Fill-A-Stocking Program sponsored by the Jasper Lions Club. For 70 years, this club has enjoyed a proud legacy of service in our community and around the state. www.jasperlions.com

Johns Creek - North Fulton Community Charities Santa Shop. The mission of North Fulton Community Charities is to prevent homelessness in North Fulton by supporting families in their homes during short-term emergencies. www.nfcchelp.org

Suwanee - Foster Children's Foundation, Inc. This organization serves foster children through its “Clothing and Needs” center, mentoring program, and other projects that are held year round. www.fosterchildrensfoundation.org

Norcross - Sheltering Arms. This organization’s mission is to serve working families with high quality, affordable child care and education and comprehensive support services, as well as to provide professional development for early childhood educators and community outreach. BNG’s Norcross branch is accepting toys and clothing for children of all ages through December 21. www.shelteringarmsforkids.com

Woodstock - U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders. www.toysfortots.org

Alpharetta, Crabapple, and Roswell - Child Development Association. The CDA serves hardworking parents who are striving to build economic security for their families despite daunting challenges. www.cdakids.org

Dunwoody - Dunwoody Police Department 1st Annual Christmas for Kids. This holiday season, the Dunwoody Police Department is reaching out and joining forces with Dunwoody citizens, businesses, and officers alike to make this Christmas a memorable one for the many children of Dunwoody who are less fortunate. www.dunwoodyga.gov

Sandy Springs - Community Action Center. The Community Action Center provides assistance to individuals and families residing in Sandy Springs and Dunwoody. By providing targeted assistance to families during a time of crisis, CAC strives to reduce the number of families and individuals who become homeless or are unable to provide for basic necessities. www.ourcac.org. BNG’s Sandy Springs branch will be collecting toys for the Community Action Center until December 11, 2009.

Buckhead - Warren B. Whitehead Boys and Girls Club. The organization’s mission is to provide a quality developmental program which empowers metro Atlanta youth, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to become productive adults. www.bgcma.org

Chastain Road/Kennesaw, Atlanta/Galleria, Marietta/Powers Ferry and Marietta/Johnson Ferry - The Center for Family Resources. This organization’s mission is to strengthen individuals, families, and communities to become self-sufficient by providing temporary financial assistance to stabilize families in crisis, housing for low-income and homeless families in a safe and secure environment, and education and training to individuals and the community. www.TheCFR.org

Marietta/Roswell Street-Cobb Christmas. Cobb Christmas is a non-profit, non-denominational organization, solely dedicated to helping the low-income and working-poor families of Cobb County during the holiday season. In October, the organization pre-registered 1,200 families with over 3,300 children. http://www.cobbchristmas.net

Conyers – Parker Road and Sigman Road - Toys for Tots - Heritage High Schools ROTC. BNG’s branches at Parker Road and Sigman Road in Conyers will be collecting toys for the Heritage High School ROTC toy drive benefiting Toys for Tots. The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders.

Covington – East Covington, Newton Plaza, and Salem Road - Toys for Tots - Newton High School ROTC. BNG’s East Covington, Newton Plaza and Salem Road branches will be collecting toys for the Newton High School ROTC toy drive benefiting Toys for Tots. The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders. www.newtoncountyschools.org/newtonhigh/rotc.htm

Fayetteville - Fayetteville Police Department’s Shop with a Cop Program. Shop with a Cop is a nationwide program that partners law enforcement officers with needy children during a special holiday shopping trip.

Peachtree City - Peachtree City Fire Department. The toys collected by the bank’s Peachtree City branch will be distributed by the Marine Reserve to local military families in need.

McDonough and Stockbridge/Eagle’s Landing - Connecting Henry. Connecting Henry exists as an advocate for the well-being of children, youth and families in Henry County, and as a planning and coordinating agency for services and programs directed at improving child health, child development, family function, school performance, and family economic capacity. www.co.henry.ga.us/connectinghenry

Riverdale - Clayton County Department of Family and Children Services. The mission of the Department of Family and Children Services is to assist families and individuals to provide the care, protection and experiences essential to their well being. http://www.ccdfcs.org/aboutus.htm

Tyrone - Tyrone Police Department’s Shop with a Cop Program. Shop with a Cop is a nationwide program that partners law enforcement officers with needy children during a special holiday shopping trip.

Tucker - Breaking Down Walls Ministries. This organization serves underprivileged families in the Tucker area.

Bankhead, Carrollton/South Park and College Street – The Sertoma Club’s Empty Stocking Fund. The Carroll County Sertoma Club was chartered in 1986 and is part of the North Georgia District of Sertoma International. This all-volunteer civic service organization includes business and civic leaders who wish to make a difference in the lives of Carroll County residents. http://www.carrollcountysertoma.org/events.html

Bowdon - Bowdon Area United Christian Ministries. This is a joint venture of churches in the Bowdon area that has evolved into a comprehensive service center providing prayer, clothing, food, and household assistance for families in the Bowdon school district and members of supporting congregations.

Douglasville/Chapel Hill - Share House. Share House Douglas is a non-profit organization providing crisis intervention and the continuum of care to address the causes and effects of family violence. http://www.sharehousedouglas.org

Douglasville/Church Street – Annette Winn Elementary School. Donations will benefit students of Annette Winn Elementary School many of which were affected by the recent floods.

Douglasville/Stewart Parkway - Boys and Girls Club of Douglasville. For more than 70 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA) has been in the forefront of youth development, working with young people from disadvantaged economic, social and family circumstances. BGCMA enriches the lives of girls and boys that other youth agencies fail to reach.

Hiram – Paulding Toys for Tots. The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders.

Tallapoosa, Bremen, Temple - Hands of Creation is a food bank located in Bremen and Carrollton. This organization serves Haralson County, part of Carroll County and some families from Cleburne County, Alabama. Hands of Creation’s toy drive will benefit Toys for Tots. For information, visit www.westgeorgiatoys4tots.com

Villa Rica – Marine Toys for Tots. The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders.

Bank of North Georgia, Member FDIC and headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, provides business and retail products to small business and other customers, as well as private banking and mortgage services. It was chartered in 1994 and became part of Columbus, Georgia-based Synovus Financial Corporation in 1998. Bank of North Georgia has assets of $5.2 billion and is the largest in asset size of the 30 banks in the Synovus family of companies. They have 43 full service branches conveniently located in Alpharetta (2), Atlanta (2), Bremen, Bowdon, Buford, Canton, Carrollton (3), Conyers (3), Covington (2), Cumming, Douglasville (3), Dunwoody, Fayetteville, Hiram, Jasper, Johns Creek, Kennesaw, Marietta (3), McDonough, Norcross, Peachtree City, Riverdale, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Stockbridge, Suwanee, Tallapoosa, Temple, Tucker, Tyrone, Villa Rica and Woodstock. Visit Bank of North Georgia on the web at www.bankofnorthgeorgia.com.