Hawthorne Toys for Tots Donation

Hawthorne’s donations to the Toys for Tots campaign.

The Marines are packing up Toys for Tots donations at Picatinny Aresenal.

This past weekend, I was proud to drop off a Hawthorne’s donation of toys to the Marine Corps Toys for Tots collection at Picatinny Arsenal in Dover, NJ. Danis Delightful Parties and I started the collection during our Photos with Santa Day, and our friends at Carlos Bagel Shop were generous enough to offer their location to continue the collection.

When I was dropping them off, I chatted with one of the Marines to get an idea of the impact of our donations. He said last year they were able to donate toys to 140,000 children. This year, they expect to be able to serve 220,000 children in our region. Before you get too blown away by those numbers, he said they currently have 400,000 requests for toys, so there is still plenty of room for improvement. He said if I share one message from them, it will be even if you can donate one toy, it will be helpful.

Next they will primarily distribute the toys to churches, police stations, and other organizations that can reach children in need. In some cases, they will give toys directly to parents who are in extreme circumstances.

So THANK YOU to everyone who contributed toys to our collection. Your giving spirit will make a difference to someone this Christmas season. Love you, Hawthorne!