As the holidays are upon us and planning for Christmas arrives, it’s also time to think about doing something special for children in need. The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is underway giving local residents an opportunity to purchase a toy for a boy and girl outside their family.
Toys for Tots started more than 75 years ago when Maj. Bill Hendricks, USMCR, and a group of Marine reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed more than 5,000 toys to needy children. Hendricks’ idea caught on and was so successful that the Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots the following year and expanded it into a nationwide program. In 1995, the Secretary of Defense approved Toys for Tots as an official activity of the U.S. Marine Corps and an official mission of the Marine Corps Reserve.
Today, Toys for Tots is the Marine Corps’ premier community action program and one of the nation’s flagship Christmas charitable causes. Toys for Tots is the only charitable endeavor within the Department of Defense which reaches outside the military establishment to give something back to the communities. Toys for Tots has enjoyed over a half century of success because of the support of millions of caring Americans, local communities, and corporate America plus the dedication and hard work of thousands of U.S. Marines. Toys for Tots is a program which brings all elements of a community together in a common cause for three months each year. The shiny new toy at Christmas lets these youngsters know that someone cares.
Area Toys for Tots coordinator Kelly Wilson is in charge of finding enough money and toys to fulfill toy requests for children in the 18 counties throughout Metro Atlanta. Kelly can be reached at 678-887-5179.
Toys for Tots collects only new toys. Organizers ask that toys brought to drop-off points be unwrapped so they can be sorted and given to the right child. Toys are to be appropriate for children from birth to 12 years.
For a complete list of drop-off points, visit www.northatlanta.toysfortots.org.
- AAA The Auto Club Group
Mon-Fri: 7:30am-6pm, Sat: 8am-4pm
1197 Johnson Ferry Road Suite 100, Marietta 30068
3445 Gordy Parkway Marietta 30066
- Altitude Trampoline Park East Cobb
Mon-Sat: 11am- 8pm
4880 Lower Roswell Road Marietta 30068
- Blue Penguin Car Wash
Mon-Sat: 8am-8pm,
Sun: 9am-7pm
2204 Roswell Road
Marietta 30062
- Cactus Car Wash
Mon-Sat: 8am-6pm,
Sun: 9am-6pm
4216 Roswell Road
Marietta 30062
- Club Pilates Merchants Walk
Mon-Fri: 7am-8pm,
Sat & Sun: 8am-2:30pm 1311 Johnson Ferry Road Suite 532, Marietta 30068
- Dr. No’s Comics & Games Superstore
Mon-Sat: 11am-8pm
Sun: Noon-6pm
3372 Canton Road
Suite 104, Marietta 30066
- Enoch and Lamei Orthodontics
Mon&Wed: 8am-5pm Tues: 7:40am-4pm
Thurs: 7:20am-2pm
2155 Post Oak Tritt
Suite 180, Marietta 30062
- J’MZ
Sun-Fri: 8am-8pm,
Sat: 8am-9pm
4400 Roswell Road
Marietta 30062
- Johnnys New York Style Pizza/ Hohensee Homes Realty Group
Mon-Sun: 11am-8pm
2970 Canton Road
Marietta 30066
- Langley Family Chiropractic, PC
Mon, Wed, Fri: 8:30am-1pm & 3pm-6:30pm
4799 Olde Towne Parkway Suite 100, Marietta 30068
- Northwest Exterminating
Mon-Fri: 8am-5pm
670 Powers Ferry Road
Marietta 30067
- Olde Mill Family Dental
Mon-Fri: 8am-4pm
3101 Roswell Road
Suite 164, Marietta 30062
- Sawyer Road Elementary
Mon-Fri: 7:30am-3:30pm 840 Sawyer Road
Marietta 30062
- Sherwin-Williams
Mon-Fri: 7am-6pm
1270 Johnson Ferry Road Marietta 30068
- The Dive Shop
Mon-Fri: 11am-7pm
2714 Sandy Plains Road Suite 2, Marietta 30066
- TLC Dance Studio
Mon-Thur: 5pm-8:30pm, Sat: 9am-11:30am
4705 Ecton Drive
Marietta 30066
- Tritt Animal Hospital
Mon-Fri: 8:30am-6pm
4349 Shallowford Road
Marietta 30062
- TruPrep
Mon-Sat: 10am-7pm,
Sun: 12-5pm
1000 Cobb Parkway North Marietta 30062
