With your help, the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program will help at least 5,000 children in Fayette and Coweta counties have a better Christmas this year. Demand is higher this year compared to last, up some 25 percent, and applicants are now being put on a “waiting list” to make sure the initial 5,000 are helped completely, organizers said.
Last year, the program helped 4,000 local children. So the additional 1,000 this year is a pretty significant increase, said local Toys for Tots organizer Jeff White.
The best way to help now is to donate toys and money, White said. The money is used to buy toys to fill in the gaps left by donations, he noted.
All donations are used to help children in Fayette and Coweta counties, White said.
“Times are hard and people are struggling,” White said of the 25 percent increase in applications this year. “… I had no idea the demand was this high in Fayette County.”
Still more applications for assistance are coming in, but they are being put on a waiting list to make sure the first 5,000 kids will be helped, organizers said.
While there are several thousand toys on hand already, there will be a need for more, as organizers will use monetary donations to purchase age-appropriate toys for children to fill in the gaps from donations, White said.
The local Toys for Tots campaign got a big shot in the arm from the Gaddy family, which accepted toys this weekend at their signature holiday light extravaganza. The Gaddys collected about 1,000 toys and about $1,000 in donations, White said.
And it’s the little efforts that count, too, such as a local family in the Centennial subdivision of Peachtree City who had a birthday party for their twins. In lieu of presents, they asked guests for toys to donate to Toys for Tots, White said.
Individuals can donate online at www.fayettetoysfortots to donate directly to the local program, which is called the Newnan chapter even though it serves both Fayette and Coweta counties. Once on the main page, click on the “donate” link at the top, and on the subsequent page, click on a box at the bottom with the photo of a teddy bear that says “donate online.”
Some might prefer sending a check by mail and that’s OK too, White said. Checks can be sent to “Toys for Tots” at 1029 Peachtree Parkway North, Suite 133, Peachtree City, GA 30269.
If you’d prefer to donate a new, unwrapped toy you can do so at any local Walmart store where the Marine Corps will be located each weekend.
White said that last year the Fayette-Coweta toy needs were met with extra toys remaining, and they were sent to help shore up efforts in Griffin and the rest of metro Atlanta.
This year, there’s a waiting list for Fayette and Coweta children, as organizers want to focus on providing for the first 5,000 kids before attempting to meet the needs of the others, White said.
There are hopes the campaign will raise enough to make it a Merry Christmas for all.
“The people help; they do what they can,” White said. “It’s just a matter of this getting so big. It’s amazing.”
