An article in a San Diego newspaper said the San Diego Toys for Tots was running out of toys for children of certain ages. The article continued to state the S.D. Toys for Tots was affiliated with the Marines Toys for Tots, which contributes to the majority of the toys to the S.D. charity. I have seen the boxes with the Marines Toys for Tots logo at both private and public offices in our Valley. What happens to the toys that I.V. residents donate to the Marines Toys for Tots charity? Do they remain in our community for our children or are they destined for the children of San Diego. — Wondering, Imperial County
If it’s collected here, it stays here. That’s the word from the Imperial Valley Toys for Tots coordinator Anthony Milanes.
While the Toys for Tots program was created by the U.S. Marine Corps, it’s mostly overseen by the Marine Corps Reserve. However, in certain communities, where there are no reservists, others take on the task, sometimes affiliated with the Marines and sometimes not.
In the Valley, the U.S. Marine Corps League, which is made up of retired Corps members and veterans, takes on the challenge. Milanes, who is a Border Patrol agent, is also a retired Marine.
Milanes told us he’s just catching his breath, as the local Toys for Tots program has disbursed all of its toys to the agencies that distribute them to the needy kids.
He said he has been so busy that he wasn’t even aware of the problems San Diego was having. In fact, he not only met his goals for Imperial County this year, he has little stocking stuffers and small toys in reserve for next year in case there is a sudden drop-off in collections.
“Every nonprofit that asked for toys, we were able to fill that request,” Milanes said.
The last story we could find, Toys for Tots in San Diego were behind by about 25,000 toys in early December. We’re not sure how they have ended up.
Milanes said the national foundation that runs Toys for Tots sent out an email about two weeks ago saying that if local organizations were coming up short, they should contact the national foundation for toys.
He said there was a brief period there where the local program was coming up short in toys for boys and girls ages 14-17. But he said monetary donations made to the program allowed him to go to local stores and stock up for that age group.
Milanes was surprised to hear how big San Diego’s need was, assuming the need must be great in that community.
Fortunately, the kids of the Imperial Valley who need help the most will be able to get a little Christmas cheer.
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