Area Schools Collect Record Number of Toys

Students from 31 schools in Sussex and Northern Warren Counties spent the last few weeks collecting more than 5,500 new, unwrapped toys in a friendly Stuff the Stocking competition to benefit the Season of Hope Toy Drive. Each year, the winning school takes home the coveted Stuff the Stocking trophy, along with a monetary donation to their school’s activity fund. Second and third place winners also receive donations for their schools. This year, two schools finished in first place, bringing in more than 1,800 items collectively: North Warren Regional School District and defending champion Pope John XXIII Middle School. Second place honors go to the Hardyston School District, with three-time champion Green Hills School coming in at third place.

The Season of Hope Toy Drive is a joint effort coordinated by Project Self-Sufficiency, along with its partners First Hope Bank, Gravity DesignWorks, iHeartMedia, Inc., Intercar Mercedes Benz, Off Shore Marine, Pass it Along, The Printing Center, The New Jersey Herald, Selective Insurance Company of America, Service Electric Broadband Cable, Sparta Train Station, Stocker Bus Company, the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce, Sussex County Community College, Sussex Honda, and the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots program. New, unwrapped toys and gift are provided to children in need from Sussex County, as well as residents of Northern Morris and Warren Counties. This month, more than 2,200 children received new gifts from the Season of Hope Toy Shop.

“The holidays can be a challenging time for many families in our area,” comments Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency. “The overwhelming response by these students demonstrates to the families served by Season of Hope Toy Shop that the community cares about them. Having children select toys for other children is a special way to celebrate the true meaning of this season. We are grateful to these students and their schools for supporting this effort and making this the most successful Stuff the Stocking contest to date.”

Participating schools in this year’s Stuff the Stocking contest included Alpine Montesorri, Blair Academy, Blairstown Elementary, Byram Intermediate, Cedar Mountain, Clifton Lawrence, Florence Burd, Frankford Elementary, Franklin Borough School, Fredon Elementary, Glen Meadows Middle School, Green Hills, Hardyston Elementary and Middle Schools, Hilltop Country Day School, Kittatinny, Lafayette, Long Pond, Lounsberry Hollow, McKeown, Newton High School, North Warren Regional, Northwest Christian School, Pope John Middle School, Reverend Brown, Rolling Hills, Sandyston-Walpack, Stillwater, Sussex Middle School, Valley Road, Vernon High School, and Wantage Elementary.

“It’s wonderful to see the spirit of giving that is evident in our students,” remarks Rosalie Lamonte, Sussex County Superintendent of Schools. “We commend them for sharing holiday joy with those who are less fortunate.”

Information about the Season of Hope Toy Drive and the programs and services available at Project Self-Sufficiency are available at www.projectselfsufficiency.org or by calling 973-940-3500 or 844-807-3500.