Toys for Tots Needs YOUR Help!!

[Thor]

Please, all of y'all that can spare a few $$, donate a toys or some cash to Toys for Tots!! Even I can scrounge up $5-10 to get a kid a toy and I'm pretty poor.

By Bob Crowley
CNN


(CNN) -- The Marines have been making children's Christmas dreams come true for nearly 60 years, but the corps may be seeing fewer smiles this year.
Volunteer Betty Whelan sorts donated toys in a Toys for Tots center in Boston, Massachusetts.

With demand up due to the poor economy and toy donations down, Toys for Tots, the Marine Corps' program that distributes Christmas toys to children in need, is facing one of its toughest years, according to Bill Grein, the Toys for Tots Foundation vice president.

Grein said the program last year distributed approximately 16.6 million toys and books, but this year he doesn't think they will be able to reach that number.

"We always run out of toys before we run out of children," he said, but this year "it's a major problem."

Grein said that the program is getting more requests than in previous years and cities like Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Miami, Florida; Fresno, California; Atlanta, Georgia, and many others are hurting for donations.

"Every kid deserves a present," said Marine Sgt. Daniel Sampson of the Toys for Tots program in Boston, Massachusetts. "Right now, we're not sending out as much as we should be."

In the Washington area, the Marines need to find toys for 82,000 children, but "we are tens of thousands of toys behind," Master Sgt Timothy Butler said.

If they can't fill the need and get every child on the list a toy for Christmas, Butler said, "It's gonna break my heart."

Last year, the Marines were able to raise $13,000 in donations from people at Union Station, a major commuter hub in downtown Washington, but this year the Marines will be "lucky to get half that," Staff Sgt. Johnny Noble said.

In Atlanta, Toys for Tots administration chief Edward Barrett said they had received 241,814 donations, well short if their goal of 800,000.

Barrett understands that the economy has a lot to do with the lack of contributions, and he estimates that donations are down by about 30 percent this year.

In San Francisco, California, Gunnery Sgt. Timothy Anthamatten said the Toys for Tots program there was also seeing a 30 percent decrease in toy and monetary donations.

In Boston, last minute donations came to the rescue. According to volunteer Kay Carpenter, the Boston Toys for Tots program used money that came in last week to buy $15,000 worth of toys, hopefully, enough to fill all of their orders.

But, nationally, Toys for Tots bins are still empty.

"We're Marines and we set goals," Edwards said, "and when we can't achieve those goals that's frustrating."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/12/15/toys.for.tots/

[Sweet Dee]

Thanks for posting this Thor!  I'm a big fan of toys for tots.  My apartment complex has a donation box in their front office actually.  They've done it for a couple years now.  Makes it really easy for me to contribute  

[franksolich]

I gave at the "office," cash.

This is a big deal up here, where the Best and the Brightest are Marines.

I still can't figure that out; here we are in the middle of America, 1500 miles away from the nearest ocean, and Nebraskans who join the military overwhelming favor the U.S. Navy.

And of those, the Best and the Brightest get into the U.S. Marines.

Normally, one would think the land-based U.S. Army would be preferred by Nebraskans.

[Sweet Dee]

I gave at the "office," cash.

This is a big deal up here, where the Best and the Brightest are Marines.

I still can't figure that out; here we are in the middle of America, 1500 miles away from the nearest ocean, and Nebraskans who join the military overwhelming favor the U.S. Navy.

And of those, the Best and the Brightest get into the U.S. Marines.

Normally, one would think the land-based U.S. Army would be preferred by Nebraskans.

Hey Frank maybe that's part of the appeal of the Navy ya know?  Get out there on the water for a while   *shrug*  who doesn't love the ocean!!  

[franksolich]

I dunno, Dee.  I could live without the ocean.

The beach in New Jersey in January is inhumanly cold.

Off Boston, too.

And Long Island.

Been there, felt that.

But it does appear to me that these guys who became military seafaring men, once their service was up, never stepped on a body of water thereafter.

[Sweet Dee]

I dunno, Dee.  I could live without the ocean.

The beach in New Jersey in January is inhumanly cold.

Off Boston, too.

And Long Island.

Been there, felt that.

But it does appear to me that these guys who became military seafaring men, once their service was up, never stepped on a body of water thereafter.

I'm more of a Pacific Ocean kinda gal myself!     You're right about the cold, that's for sure!! 

[Wineslob]

I dunno, Dee.  I could live without the ocean.

The beach in New Jersey in January is inhumanly cold.

Off Boston, too.

And Long Island.

Been there, felt that.

But it does appear to me that these guys who became military seafaring men, once their service was up, never stepped on a body of water thereafter.

Go to Kauai.......you may never want to come back.

[Sweet Dee]

Go to Kauai.......you may never want to come back.

Agreed   lol 

[Miss Mia]

I always give one or two toys to Toys for Tots. 

[paladin0]

My wife and I gave a toy to Toys for Tots, and two for our Church. Last year we gave one each, so we made up for someone.

Paladin0

[SaintLouieWoman]

Our office always has a large box in the break room. I always bring a couple gifts or give cash. It's a very worthwhile cause.

One of the employees was gathering coats for her church to give away to the needy. I brought in a couple coats. I also gave a couple coats to the Scholarshop, which awards college scholarships to needy kids. In fact, I took a carload of clothes there.

[Crazy Horse]

Part of an email sent today at work...........

As of 19 December 2008, the Fleet Readiness Center East has collected over 900 toys, 78 bikes (over half of them came with safety gear, such as helmets and pads), 2 scooters and $5,545.00.  Your kind and generous donations will help brighten the holidays this year for needy children throughout our local communities.