Toys For Tots And Other Holiday Drives
With December in full swing, it’s the time of year that residents of the Coastal Bend join together to assist those less fortunate. In the spirit of the holidays, I wanted to take this opportunity to bring attention to certain efforts in the area that will benefit many people in our community this holiday season.
Toys for Tots is a nationwide campaign, but it has very strong roots and participation in the Coastal Bend area. The initiative began in 1947, when Marine Major Bill Hendricks collected and donated 5,000 toys to children. The campaign was so successful that Marine Reserve Units around the country began collecting and donating toys under the shared objective to “bring the joy of Christmas to America’s needy children.” Since its inception in 1947, the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program has distributed more than 469 million toys to more than 216 million needy children across the country. With an excellent military base, strong charity presence and generous-minded people and industry, District 32 is a great place for Toys for Tots to contribute to the children of our area.
The Coastal Bend has many sites around the area where people can donate toys for children. Toys are generally targeted to children under the age of 12. Also, there is not a list of recommended toys in the interest of having a broad selection for the area’s children. Toy drop-off locations include Fire Stations 1-17, the Builders Association of the Corpus Christi Area, Starbucks and other participating stores. You can learn about how to become a volunteer, sign up your business as a toy drop-off location, and other info at Toys for Tots.
Events are held around the area to promote the Toys for Tots holiday drive effort. For example, La Posada on Padre Island combines Toys for Tots with a Christmas light boat parade. Marines from the local Naval Air Station collect donations while members of the community judge a boat and decoration contest. The Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi is participating in the Toys for Tots program as well as with a Christmas Food Baskets program. They distribute food baskets on December 17th and 18th in our area. Also, the Season of Hope, a joint effort by Toys for Tots, the Food Bank of Corpus Christi, and the Women’s Shelter of South Texas, helps promote toy, food, and clothing donations at different locations around town. You can read more at the Season of Hope.
The HEB Feast of Sharing is another holiday event taking place this season which allows the community to participate in a spirit of holiday sharing. HEB hosts the holiday feast annually across the state. The Coastal Bend will have dinners in Victoria (at the Victoria Civic Center) and Corpus Christi (at the American Bank Center) on December 18th and December 24th, respectively. According to the organization’s website, just one Feast of Sharing event equals: 3,000 pounds of sliced turkey, 2,500 pounds of cornbread dressing, 750 pumpkin pies, and 95 gallons of cranberry sauce.
There are many other charitable events in the area occurring this holiday season. As we prepare for a new year, let’s join together in helping the community and bettering the lives of those around us.
If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this week’s article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. Please always feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or issues regarding a Texas state agency, or if you would like to contact my office regarding constituent services. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces (Part) County. He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
