The drive to make the holiday season a little brighter for
disadvantaged kids in San Benito County has begun.
Firefighters with the Hollister Fire Department and local
California Department of Forestry and Fire started collecting toys
for disadvantaged children Nov. 29. In connection with the
Salvation Army, Toys for Tots collects toys to distribute to
children for Christmas.
The drive to make the holiday season a little brighter for disadvantaged kids in San Benito County has begun.
Firefighters with the Hollister Fire Department and local California Department of Forestry and Fire started collecting toys for disadvantaged children Nov. 29. In connection with the Salvation Army, Toys for Tots collects toys to distribute to children for Christmas.
The drive runs through Dec. 21 and firefighters are collecting “new, unwrapped toys,” said David Young, a firefighter with the HFD and co-organizer of the event with engineer Tom Flynn.
In the past, Toys for Tots distributed toys to more than 1,400 children. The drive collects toys for children ages infant to 12. The biggest area of need is for children 10 to 12, Young said.
“We usually get quite a bit for the middle group, but we need toys for infants and older children,” he said.
Every Saturday and Sunday until Dec. 21, firefighters from the HFD and CDF will be outside Target and KMart from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. collecting toys.
Popular donations include Barbie dolls, trucks, stuffed animals and board games, Young said.
Once toys are collected, they are packaged in bags for each family and delivered to the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army then distributes the toys along with food and clothing before Christmas.
“This is our part of this distribution with the Salvation Army,” Young said. “Everybody who works in the fire service has an obligation to serve the public. This gives us a chance to give back to the community.”
The firefighters staffing collection spots are volunteering their time, Young said.
Firefighters are also accepting cash donations to assist buying needed toys not donated as well as 45-gallon garbage bags for packaging the toys for distribution. The HFD and CDF usually spend between $1,000 and $1,500 buying more toys, Young said.
Disadvantaged families sign up for toys at the Salvation Army. The age and sex of each child is given to the firefighters so they can put together the bags for each family, Young said.
Toys for Tots began in 1947 when Major Bill Hendricks with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves founded Toys for Tots in Los Angeles collecting 5,000 toys. The first toy collected was a Raggedy Ann Doll. Toys for Tots became a nationwide toy drive in 1948.
The goal of donating toys is that “more children experience the joy of Christmas” and “experience hope that will motivate them,” according to the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Web site.
For more information or to make donations outside of the weekend hours, visit the HFD at 110 Fifth St., the CDF at 1979 Fairview Road or the Salvation Army at 910 Buena Vista Road.
