Toys for Tots Drive Underway

The United States Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots drive is coming to Weston.

The mission of the program is to collect new, unwrapped toys and distribute them to less fortunate children for the holidays. Last year, Weston residents generously donated over 650 toys.

Toys can be dropped off now through December 15 at the Weston Police Department and Lang’s Pharmacy of Weston.

If you would like to host a drop off location or would like more information, please contact Detective Chris Powers at 203-222-2639.

Toys for Tots began as a charitable effort in 1947 when a woman named Diane Hendricks wanted to donate a homemade Raggedy Ann doll to a needy child but couldn't find an organization through which to do it. She encouraged her husband, Marine Corps Reserve Major Bill Hendricks, to organize a group of local Marine reservists to place donation bins in Warner Bros. movie theaters.

The response was so robust that, the following year, Toys for Tots went national. Since then, hundreds of millions of toys have been distributed to over 250 million needy children.