By Krystle J Bailey
In its 40th year, the Atlantic County Toys for Kids program is in need of more support than ever. With gift requests arriving as early as October, the volunteer team has been working around the clock to keep their promise – that every kid should be able to enjoy unwrapping a gift on Christmas morning.
Supported by local businesses and led by Retired Sgt. Greg DePiano, Toys for Kids, delivers thousands of gifts to families in need every year. In 2022, over 14,500 toys were gifted with love during the holiday season. This year, requests began flooding in earlier than usual, indicating a busy winter for the highly-regarded organization.
The Marines Toys for Tots Foundation is not currently serving Atlantic County, which left many families looking elsewhere for support during the holiday season and DePiano and team with a long list of Santa visits. With the Ventnor Shopping Plaza under renovation, Toys for Kids is left without their regular storefront this year, where they otherwise collect and sort donations.
These challenges haven’t slowed down the Toys for Kids team, as they have hit the pavement with even more drop box and fundraising locations throughout Atlantic County to accommodate the recent changes, including at Walgreens, the program’s newest toy drive sponsor. A list of drop box locations can be found on their website at toysforkidsprogram.org.
All season long, Retired Sgt. DePiano, along with the program’s event coordinator and photographer, Michelle Riordan, will be out in the community offering holiday photo shoots and opportunities to get involved.
On Small Business Saturday, November 25, the Toys for Kids team will be outside of Walmart on the Black Horse Pike in Egg Harbor Township, collecting donations and connecting with the community.
Catch Santa and crew at the O’Donnell Park tree lighting on Dec. 1 in Atlantic City, where children are invited to snap pictures on Santa’s lap while enjoying hot cocoa, cider, and crafts.
Down the road in Margate on Dec. 8, Toys for Kids will be at the Winter Wonderland Toy Drive – a collaborative event hosted by the cities of Ventnor, Margate, and Longport. Families can enjoy live music by local students, crafts, photos with Santa train rides, and delicious food. The event will take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Sigmund Rimm Recreation Complex.
The annual Toys for Kids beef and beer fundraiser will take place on Dec. 15 at Maynard’s Cafe in Margate from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $35 and include beef, beer, wine and soda, raffles, and live music.
On Dec. 17, Santa and his elves – a collective of local law enforcement officers – will grab the sleigh to deliver cheer throughout Atlantic County from Shore Medical Center to various elderly facilities and select family homes.
This year, these cherished community good-doers that have become a staple in South Jersey will be recognized on Nov. 30 as a Community Partner with Crime Stoppers of Atlantic County.
Monetary donations and volunteered time are always welcome at Toys for Kids. With so many families in need this year, the team is welcoming as much help as possible to meet the demand. To donate, learn more, or get involved, visit toysforkidsprogram.org. Be sure to look for the Toys for Kids trailer in your local holiday parade.
Krystle J Bailey is a published author, multimedia journalist, copywriter, and content creator. She is a regular Shore Local columnist and digital contributor as well as the booking agent and co-host of the radio show Joe’s Table for Two on WOND. Krystle can be reached at KrystleJBailey@gmail.com
