LAURINBURG — The Scotland County Toys For Tots organization will begin its efforts to supply needy children with toys through holiday festival.
The organization will hold a fall festival at Clinton Inn from 1 to 6 p.m. to accept donations and allow qualifying applicants a chance to receive a gift. The event and all its activities are free, but attendees are asked to bring a new toy.
According to Vicki Jackson, Scotland County Toys For Tots director, she hopes to provide more than 800 children with toys this Christmas.
“Sometimes children don’t understand why their neighbors may have gotten new bikes and they didn’t,” Jackson said.
To qualify to receive toys, applicants must receive at least one form of government benefits, such as Medicaid, food stamps, or WIC recipient. Those who wish to apply must also provide their I.D., proof of residence and their child’s social security number. The program serves Scotland and Robeson counties.
“This year we are doing things a little bit differently. In the past we boxed up everything before parents would come pick up gifts, but this year we are going to leave the toys unwrapped so they can pick out what toys they kids will like the most,” Jackson said.
She explained there shouldn’t be an issue to people not getting the gifts they want because Toys For Tots has up to 50 of each toy in some cases.
“We have bikes, tablets, dollar store toys, stuffed animals, and toy cars,” Jackson said, who explained the donated toys come from the Marine Corps, Toys’R’Us, and Walmart, as well as from individuals in the community.
The organization hopes to provide each child up to five toys, but explains that if parents pick up a bicycle of tablet, they will be allotted a couple less toys because those are “big item,” according to Jackson.
Toys for Tots is a national program that originated in 1947 by the U.S. Marine Corps and is conducted annually in more than 700 communities covering all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The mission of the program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during the year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to children who may not have had the opportunity of receiving gifts.
For information about Toys For Tots, call 910-276-2733 or email Jackson at [email protected]