Toys For Tots: Campaigns Starting In Metro Denver, Boulder

Attention! With the season of giving fast approaching, the Marine Toys for Tots campaigns are set to begin across the country.

The mission of the foundation is to collect new, unwrapped toys and distribute them to less fortunate children at Christmas.

Toys for Tots was started in 1947 and went national in 1948. The Marine Corps was authorized by the secretary of defense to work with the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation in 1991.

Today, there are hundreds of local campaigns across the United States in which residents can donate toys, apply for toys and even host a Marine Toys for Tots fundraising event.

This year, the campaign in metro Denver and Boulder has begun. Sgt. Marshall Stertz is the Toys for Tots Coordinator for our area.

Children selected to receive toys through the program will be notified of the pickup point after their application has been accepted.

Overall in 2018, more than 110,000 toys were distributed locally and nearly 80,000 children were supported through the campaign in our region.

The local campaigns are conducted annually in over 800 communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, according to Toys for Tots. In the past year alone, the foundation collected and distributed 18 millions toys to 7 million less fortunate children.

The nonprofit also partners with 12 major sponsors that have contributed at least $2 million in toys. The sponsors include Hallmark, the Walt Disney Company, the UPS Store and Kmart.

Toys for Tots allows participants to make a donation in 10 different ways: donate online, donate in memory or in honor, donate through the holiday recognition program, donate toys, donate by mail, CrowdFunding, employer gift matching, planned giving and supporting through the Native American Program.