MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — The Toys for Tots holiday campaign is underway in McHenry County and as the deadline nears for donations, organizers are asking for the public’s help in filling an “urgent need” for more toys for children ages 8 to 12 years old.
The Toys for Tots campaign in McHenry County doled out nearly 21,000 toys to more than 5,700 children last year. This year, as has been the case in the past, Toys for Tots is not getting as many toy donations for older children, Anna Mendoza, a coordinator for Toys for Tots, told Patch.
The deadline for most of the organization’s pick ups will be on Dec. 11. A full list of drop off sites in McHenry County can be found here.
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Mendoza offered the following ideas for simple gifts that could work for the 8 year to 12 year age range: blue tooth speakers, puzzles, legos, Squishmallows, a lot of things that you find at Five Below and building kits.
Toys for Tots in McHenry County supplies toys to three major organizations as well as the M.O.R.E. Center in Marengo and foster children organizations. Each year, Toys for Tots aims to give three to four toys to each child signed up for the program.
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“If we don’t have enough toys we have to find money to be able to buy the toys. That’s where monetary donations are very helpful,” Mendoza said.
Cash donations can be made on the Toys for Tots website.
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