Toys For Tots 2021: How To Donate, Apply In Loudoun County

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — The holiday season is fast approaching, but now is the time to consider donating to a Toys for Tots campaign in Loudoun.

The mission of Toys for Tots is to collect new, unwrapped toys and distribute them to less fortunate children at Christmas. The original Toys for Tots project was founded in 1947 by Marine Corps Reserve Major Bill Hendricks, and it became a nonprofit public charity at the behest of the Marine Corps in 1991. The organization is still run exclusively by veteran Marines.

This year, there are hundreds of local campaigns either planned or ongoing across the United States. Loudoun County residents can donate money, apply for toys and even host a Toys for Tots fundraising event.

The 2021 campaign in Loudoun County kicked off earlier this month. Frank Holtz is the Toys for Tots coordinator for Loudoun County.

In 2020, our local Toys for Tots campaign distributed 8,313 toys to 6,372 children.

Loudoun's Toys for Tots campaign will be a bit different this year. Instead of accepting toy donations, they are encouraging monetary donations.

"After corresponding with the Loudoun County Health Department regarding the current level of COVID-19 transmission in Loudoun County, the challenge of contact tracing for large groups of volunteers, the inability to work outdoors, and the difficulty in maintaining the necessary distancing when working indoors, it has been decided that the Loudoun County Toys for Tots will be conducting the 2021 season in the same manner as last year in order to keep it safe for all involved and still provide toys to children in need," Frank Holtz said.

The campaign is partnering with several local charities to purchase toys using donations.

For anyone who prefers not to donate in person due to COVID-19 concerns, Toys for Tots has established a virtual “toy box.” Using the virtual toy box allows anyone to donate by purchasing a toy online. Toys will then be distributed across the country and delivered by Toys for Tots.

Local Toys for Tots 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. Since the program’s inception, the foundation collected and distributed 604 million toys to 272 million 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 several 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
• Supporting through the Native American Program