How It Works

The campaign to collect donated toys, puzzles, dolls, stuffed animals, bicycles, games, sports balls and books never ends. These items are collected at area Racine County Fire Stations throughout the year.

The task of cleaning, refurbishing, checking contents and instructions for every toy is a massive job. It takes dozens of volunteers working hundreds of hours at the workshop and/or from home to accomplish this.

In conjunction with local service organizations like the Corporate Volunteer Council, area churches and schools, Toys for Tots identifies families who need a little help during the holidays.

After a year of efforts in securing toy donations, refurbishing broken toys, identifying families in need, our merry group of volunteers put on their Santa caps and start selecting age-specific presents from our shelves.

In the workshop, we call this part of the operation “shopping” and while it is a lot of work, this is one of the most rewarding aspects of Toys for Tots.

Over the years, we have developed gender—and age-specific present lists. Each child receives a main gift bag containing books, puzzles, and games.

The cold December mornings are filled with warmth as the yearlong effort is rewarded as the presents are distributed to the families that need it most.