Hollister
– The local League of United Latin American Citizens chapter is
once again asking residents to take a little time out of their day
to help a child in need through its annual holiday toy drive.
Hollister – The local League of United Latin American Citizens chapter is once again asking residents to take a little time out of their day to help a child in need through its annual holiday toy drive.
“This is just one of those nice things to do this time of year,” said Leticia Garcia, who works at Calaveras School and helps identify children who could use extra cheer during the holidays.
The drive was started nine years ago, when LULAC members decided to help local kids in need, primarily through networking with migrant education instructors and seeking donations from the South Santa Clara County Fire District Station in Morgan Hill.
With each passing year, organizers say, the event grows as teachers identify more families and LULAC members recommend children they are personally acquainted with through their work in the community. Last Christmas more than 400 toys were distributed to local children.
“Most of the kids we recommend are dealing with financial hardship – their parents don’t have a job, they work out in the fields, something like that,” Garcia said. “But it isn’t just needy kids. Some of them are fed and have clothes but their families just don’t have the extra money for a toy at Christmas. Some of them have really low self-esteem and need to know someone cares about them. Some of them are dealing with an illness in the family and need something to make them smile. And they aren’t all migrant children, either.”
Over the past nine years, Garcia said only a few families have declined to receive a gift.
“I think once or twice we had parents say, ‘No thank you,'” she said. “But most of them are extremely grateful. They want their kids to have a good Christmas.”
Books and board games are popular toys to donate and are easy to distribute, said Marian Cruz, who helps organize the event.
“We give presents to boys and girls of all ages, so anything is welcome, but books are great,” she said.
Some people choose to donate a little more than a toy or two for the holiday, however.
“We’ve had people call wanting to ‘adopt’ a family,” Garcia said. “One year they took the whole family shopping at the mall and then to the theater afterwards, because the kids had never been. That was a wonderful thing to do.”
Organizers are encouraging residents to drop off toys or monetary donations to help purchase toys at the YMCA on Fifth Street. Santa will deliver the toys to the children Dec. 20 and 21.
“These are our children. They need us this time of year,” Cruz said.
For more information call Cruz at 636-5321.
Danielle Smith covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or
ds****@fr***********.com
