WASHINGTON — There’s a countdown-to-Christmas clock ticking on the “Toys for Tots” website.
The Marine Corps-based charity is still looking for help to supply gifts for needy children.
People who want to help can always drop off a new, unwrapped toy at a collection site, but at this late date, organizers believe money is more helpful.
“Making an online donation allows us to purchase toys literally at the 11th hour,” said Lt. General Pete Osman, president and CEO of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.
Online donations of cash also can expedite the delivery of toys.
“We will direct-ship those to campaigns all across the country in order to help fill in the blanks for some of the ages and genders that maybe they haven’t been able to cover,” Osman said.
There are about 795 Toys for Tots campaigns underway in 2016 in big cities and small towns across the country. Individual campaigns work with local social agencies or churches to identify less-fortunate families who are receiving aid and might need assistance.
And while “toys” is part of the charity’s name, Osman said new books also are appreciated.
“My idea of an ideal Christmas, if you will, for a less-fortunate child would be several really neat toys then a couple books that they can call their own,” Osman noted.
About 15 million children are living in poverty in the U.S.
“We’re [trying to] get as many toys as we can,” Osman said. “Because we always know that the demand is going to be larger than the assets we have available.”
