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Marine Corps toy drive gives children hope for Christmas
By Colleen Young
On November 14, 2012
For the first time, Buffalo State College is participating in an American holiday tradition and
working with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve to collect new, unwrapped toys now through Dec.
14 for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.
Faculty, staff and students can donate toys at Classroom Building A203.
Robert Skutnik, senior program director at the Center for Health and Social Research said he
thinks people should donate this holiday season.
"Christmas time puts a microscope on need. Buffalo State is in an urban city setting and outside
of campus there are poor families. There's a need," he said.
Skutnik said we're in a tough economy and it's hard for poor families to cater to their children's
belief in Santa and to be able to give them the presents they want. By donating, people are
investing in families and providing joy for children that will last throughout the year.
Skutnik said that programs like Toys for Tots connect Buffalo State to the Buffalo community
and that faculty, staff and students should do what they can to help.
This campaign is all about helping those in need and it depends on generous involvement from
the public to spread hope during the holiday season.
"The mission of the Foundation is to assist the U.S. Marine Corps in providing a tangible sign of
hope to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas," reads to the Toys for Tots pamphlet.
Sergeant Keshia Toro, Buffalo's local Toys for Tots coordinator, said last year the program
helped over 17,000 children in the Buffalo area, each of whom gets two toys and a stocking
stuffer.
Toro said that this toy drive lets needy families know that "everything's going to be better."
She also said that people can donate anything, whether it's big toys, little toys, or even books.
Toys get collected in boxes at local drop sites, like the one in the Classroom Building. The boxes
filled with toys then get picked up and taken to local distribution centers, where toys are sorted
by age and gender. Parents then can go to the centers and pick out toys for their children.
Toro said that people should think about how many holiday seasons children can go without toys
before they lose hope, and that people need to think about the children and the less fortunate in
the community.
She said that those wanting to donate could spend less than $20 on a toy, the same amount
people easily spend going out to dinner.
In the hope of getting our local drop site boxes filled up, Toro asks students to donate. She
said the younger generation influences the older. Once faculty and staff see students selflessly
donating toys, they'll consider doing the same.
Those interested in helping can donate a toy, donate their time, donate service, or make a tax
deductible donation.
For further information about helping with Toys for Tots, students can contact Toro at
keshiatoro@gmail.com, contact the Center for Health & Social Research at (716) 878-6137, or
visit the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation website at http://www.toysfortots.org.
Colleen Young can be reached by email at young.record@live.com.
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