Toys for Tots: The Holiday Guide to Giving Back
One of the many ways to give back to your community this holiday season.
Photo by Isabella Scuteri
Be a good elf and drop off your donation to one of the boxes for Toys for Tots.
The holiday season is all about giving back to those in your community. The G.O. and Business Honor Society clubs are hosting their annual Toys for Tots Toy Drive during the month of December.
This program was started in 1947 and is run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve. The goal of this organization is to distribute toys to children around the holidays whose parents cannot afford gifts for Christmas. Children ages 0-12 years old are eligible to receive toys and the 0-2 age range is in great need of toys this year.
New, unwrapped toys are being collected in the Main Office, Guidance Office or room 220 now until December 13th.
Donating a toy will make the holiday season special for everyone on both the giving and receiving ends of the spectrum.
Book donations are also appreciated as each child receives two toys and three books count as one toy.
Another thing people may not know is that homemade toys are accepted as well.
Monetary donations can also be made directly through the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation website.
However, there are restrictions when it comes to toys that are able to be donated. Any toy with chemicals, candy, or food will not be accepted. Toys that resemble weapons are are also in the “don’t donate” category.
Now the question is: what should I donate? If you are having trouble thinking of a toy to buy, below is a list for each age range.
Ages 0-1:
- Crib toys
- Soft/plush toys
- Diapers
Ages 2-4:
- Building sets/blocks
- Action figures
- Pretend play/dress up
Ages 5-6:
- Action figures
- Baby doll
- School supplies
Ages 7-12:
- Makeup sets
- Dolls
- Remote car and batteries
- Lego sets
Isabella is a senior at Patchogue-Medford High School and fourth year journalism student . She is the Editor in Chief and helped get the newspaper off...
