Toy Drives Keep Alive the True Spirit of Giving

Nothing puts the Christmas back in Christmas faster than giving toys to a needy child. Children who are hospitalized over the holidays, whose families have no money for presents, even adults in difficult situations--they can all be cheered by the contributions from the many toy drives in Southern California.

Most organizations request new, unwrapped toys. New, because it’s difficult for one child to receive a new Cabbage Patch doll and her sister to receive a used Sorry game. Unwrapped, because it’s easier to designate the appropriate child for the gift that way. This is just a sampling of the organizations that are seeking toys this holiday season. To find other nearby organizations, call the United Way.

Los Angeles

Toys for Porterville, KABC (213) 557-5174, drop-off at Baskin-Robbins shops. This is KABC weatherman Dr. George Fischbeck’s 14th year rounding up toys for the Porterville Developmental Center, where residents, both physically and mentally handicapped, range in age from infants to 70 years. New, unwrapped toys and gifts may be dropped off at any Baskin-Robbins store from Oceanside to Santa Barbara by Dec. 20. On Dec. 21, all the toys are brought to the television station and loaded onto a 45-foot truck for the trip to Porterville. All types of gifts are needed for a wide age range of patients: athletic equipment (such as footballs, fishing and camping gear), grooming aids (including purses, sunglasses, perfume, cosmetics), arts-and-crafts supplies, board games, popcorn poppers.

Ronald McDonald House, 4560 Fountain Ave., Hollywood, (213) 666-6400. This home-away-from-home serves families whose children are receiving hospital treatment for life-threatening diseases. New

TOYS: Gifts to Brighten Someone’s Holiday toys for toddlers to late teens) are needed for the Christmas party Sunday. The party includes many families living away from home during the holidays so they can be near their child being treated. Toys are also needed for the Toy Closet, which provides toys to children year-round as they undergo difficult treatments. Arts-and-crafts supplies are also needed. Gifts may be dropped off at the facility from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Deadline is Dec. 24.

Volunteer Center Donor Services Warehouse, United Way, 1200 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, (rear of the Red Cross building), (213) 389-1338. United Way welcomes new, unwrapped toys for toddler to teens. They will be donated to member agencies, such as the Indian Center, United Farm Workers, Girls Clubs, Boys Clubs and others. Donations may be brought to volunteers Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., or left with security guards at other times. Deadline is Tuesday.

Crippled Children’s Society of Los Angeles, 7120 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 874-3300. Toys designated for this group may be dropped off at any Pizza Hut in Los Angeles, Orange or Riverside counties--and the good deed will earn you a $1 to $2 discount coupon on a pizza. All types of new, unwrapped toys are needed for children from toddlers to age 12, including stuffed animals, dolls, trucks, games and children’s books. The society aids children at seven outpatient and day-care facilities in Southern California. Deadline is Dec. 24.

Salvation Army Los Angeles Day Care Center, 836 Stanford Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 623-9022. This center provides gifts for more than 600 children who live in the Skid Row area or whose parents work downtown and cannot afford any other child care. Two parties are held each December, one for the kids in the day-care program and another for the students at nearby 9th Street Elementary School in Skid Row. The need is for new, unwrapped gifts for ages 2 through 12, and should be brought to the center before Wednesday.

City of Hope Holiday Toy Drive, 1500 E. Duarte Road, Duarte (818) 359-8111. Children here are undergoing treatment for diseases such as cancer, diabetes and leukemia. Some are hospitalized during Christmas or Hanukkah, others are involved in out-patient programs. The toy drive tries to provide gifts for all these children. There is also a need for gifts for adults as well as children for the patient holiday party on Tuesday. Toys in new or good condition are needed for children from infants through age 12. Gifts, such as sporting goods, cosmetics and crafts, are needed for teens and adults. They should be wrapped, tagged with a note identifying the contents and dropped off at the information desk near the Spirit of Life fountain. Deadline is Dec. 23.

Toys for Tots, U.S. Marine Corps, (213) 624-8396. Also, San Diego, (619) 272-TOYS; Long Beach, (213) 832-0869; Pasadena, (818) 797-1938; Encino, (818) 705-1318, Los Alamitos (213) 493-8395. What began with a retired Marine Corps officer’s modest program to fix broken toys has turned into one of the most ambitious toys drives in the country. Last year, 10 million presents were donated nationwide. The Marines, in turn, parceled out these donations to hundreds of charitable organizations. The Marines are requesting new, unwrapped toys for infants to teens, although the greatest need is in the 4-to-10-year range. No fruits, candies or sharp objects. There are hundreds of drop-off barrels in Southern California, including Grinder and International House of Pancakes restaurants. Call Toys for Tots for closest drop-off points. Deadline is Dec. 24.

San Diego

Community Christian Service Agency, 4167 Rappahannock St., Clairemont, San Diego, (619) 274-2271. Open Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. All types of toys are needed for babies through teen-agers, including trucks, dolls, stuffed animals and games, such as Yatzee, Monopoly and Rummy Cube. New, unwrapped gifts may be dropped off at the agency. Deadline is Tuesday.

Salvation Army San Diego Toy and Joy Shop, College Grove Shopping Center (next to Marci’s), California 94 at College Avenue, San Diego, (619) 239-8027. Although the Salvation Army benefits from many toy drives sponsored by other organizations, they also put on their own Toy and Joy Shop, where people may donate toys directly. New, unwrapped toys for children, infants to age 12, should be dropped off at the shop through Friday. After that, parents who have been screened by the Salvation Army for need come to the shop to pick out toys for their own children.

Channel 10 Toy Drive, California 94 at 47th Street, San Diego, (619) 237-1010. This 12th annual drive is sponsored by the television station and the North San Diego Rotary Club. Last year they collected 20,000 toys, which were turned over to the Salvation Army for dispersal to families. New, unwrapped toys for infants through teen-agers may be brought to the lobby of the TV station between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. or to a bin at one of the participating locations: Vons markets, Glendale Federal, Square Pan Pizza, Coldwell Banker, Crocker Bank, Mr. Build and Arby’s Roast Beef restaurants. The deadline is Dec. 20.

Santa Barbara

Council of Christmas Cheer, 609 E. Haley St., Santa Barbara, (805) 965-4122. For the 49th year, the council is the focus of toy donations in the Santa Barbara area. Both new and used toys for children from infants through age 15 are appreciated. Broken-but-fixable bicycles, tricycles, dolls and such will be repaired by volunteers. Donations may be brought to collection bins all over Santa Barbara, Goleta, Isla Vista and Montecito. Call for locations. Toys are gathered at a central toy shop where parents and guardians, screened in local social-service agencies, will be able to choose appropriate gifts for their own children. The center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily except Sundays. Deadline is Dec. 24.Riverside

Community Settlement, 4366 Bermuda St. (at 14th Street), Riverside, (714) 686-6266. New, unwrapped gifts for children of all ages are needed for low-income families. Many are single-parent homes where the Christmas budget is lean. This organization tries to reach 350 families in Riverside. Donations may be dropped off at the center or at any of the various drop-off bins around the city. Call for locations. Drop-off deadline is Tuesday; center drop-off deadline is Dec. 23.

Southland Malls

Several Southland shopping malls have “Christmas Wish” trees where families may donate toys to needy children. This is a personal way to give and a good way to teach children about the meaning of giving at Christmas. Volunteers at the trees provide donors with names, and in some cases pictures, of the children and what these kids have requested from Santa. Donors then buy the toy and take it back to the tree. At most of the trees, an ornament is then hung to symbolize the gift. The following are Southland malls with “Christmas Wish” trees:

Puente Hills Mall Sugar Plum Tree, (818) 965-5875. Sponsored by the San Gabriel Valley Chapter of the Foster Parents Assn. Volunteers have a list of names and requests. Ornaments are placed on the tree at time of donation. Deadline is Dec. 22.

Fox Hills Mall Dream Tree, (213) 390-7833. Sponsored by Los Angeles County Foster Parents Assn. Pick up the name of a needy child and return with a gift. Then, hang an ornament with the foster child’s picture on the tree. Deadline is Dec. 24.

Plaza Pasadena Tournament of Toys Tree, (818) 795-8891. Sponsored by Tournament of Toys. Bring gifts directly to the tree area. Deadline is Dec. 24.

Santa Anita Park Sugar Plum Tree, (818) 445-3116. Sponsored by San Gabriel Valley Chapter of Friends of Foster Children. Three trees are hung with paper ornaments on which each needy child has listed three things they want for Christmas. Donors select one of the gifts to buy and return it to the tree area. Deadline is Tuesday.

La Habra Fashion Square Tree of Friendship, (714) 525-1105. Sponsored by Fashion Square and La Habra Community Services. Donors pick up scrolls at the tree area. The scrolls have names and ages of needy children but not specific gift requests. Gifts are then returned and placed under the tree. Deadline is Dec. 21.

Topanga Plaza Sugar Plum Tree, (818) 883-9670. Sponsored by San Fernando chapter of Community Assistance to Homeless Youngsters. Donors pick up cards that list the names, ages and two gift requests of needy foster children. The gifts are less than $15 each. Gifts are returned unwrapped and placed under the tree. Deadline is Sunday.