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Toys for Tots Locations; A Click Away on the Web
by Hans Petersen

The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve "Toys for Tots" campaign is using the Internet to make it easier for Americans to donate toys to needy children this year.

By signing on to Toys for Tots a family wishing to make sure that all children get a toy this Christmas can find the names, addresses and phone numbers of the coordinators in one of 351 communities. That coordinator can give you location of the nearest drop-off point in your town.

For decades, many parents have made it a family project for their children to take the toys to the Marines in order to help their kids appreciate the act of giving during the holidays.

To assist this year’s campaign, simply drop off a new, unwrapped toy at the Toys for Tots collection box nearest you. Marines will do the rest.

On Line Contribution

There is even a way for busy people with hectic schedules to help out when they don’t have the time to actually take a toy to a drop-off point. At the same web site, there is a "Donate Now" link that makes it easy to send in a contribution to the national campaign.

Better do it now. The campaign concludes on Friday, December 22. Saturday and Sunday are dedicated to toy distribution. The Marines have as their goal for 2000 to reach more needy children throughout the United States than ever before.

Created in 1947, Toys for Tots has grown from an initial collection and distribution of 5,000 toys to needy children of Los Angeles to the record setting effort of Christmas 1999 when Marines distributed over 13.8 million toys to needy children nationwide.

Nation Wide Campaign

This year, Toys for Tots campaigns are being conducted in 351 communities covering all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Senator John Glenn, a former Marine, is the National Spokesperson for Toys for Tots this year.

At kickoff ceremonies for the 2000 Campaign, nine-year-old Virginia Wacker was presented a Special Commemorative Coin for donating the toys she received for her birthday last year to Toys for Tots. Virginia, a native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was presented the award by Lt. Gen. Jack Klimp, Deputy Commandant of the Marine Corps for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

About the Author

Hans Petersen is a writer/editor at the Health Care Financing Administration in Washington D.C. Currently writing for AccessAmerica E-Gov E-Zine, he can be reached at HPetersen@HCFA.gov.