Last year’s Sedona Toys for Tots drive by Sedona Area Veteran and Community Outreach saw 1,187 area children have a happy holiday enjoying one or more of the 3,837 toys distributed to Verde Valley families in need. SAVCO’s goal is to increase that number this season.
“Toys for Tots got started in 1947 with a reserve unit in Los Angeles,” said organizer Leonard Barrow, who has co-coordinated the program for the last decade with his wife Karen. “They found a lot of the kids were not expecting any kind of a Christmas because it was right after World War II. So they went around and picked up a bunch of toys to give out because everyone deserves a bit of hope, and that’s the mission.”
“Sedona Toys for Tots provides toys to children ages 1 to 14 years. Our volunteers set up toy collection boxes in more than 50 local businesses and organizations in the Sedona area in early November,” SAVCO’s website states. “We then collect, sort and bag toys, stocking stuffers and books for each family. Local social welfare agencies, church groups, schools and other philanthropic organizations register families and distribute the gifts. We also accept donations to purchase toys, books, bikes and bike helmets for children.”
Dropoff boxes are set up throughout Sedona and will be in place until Thursday, Dec. 14. Families in need may register for the program at West Sedona School, the Sedona Community Food Bank, 30 Inspirational Drive, or St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry at 180 St. John Vianney Lane.
“We are just starting to get the registrations in, so I have about half of the registrations from West Sedona School, and I just got the list from St. Vincent DePaul, they have 100 children,” Karen Barrow said. “I have a chart where I keep track of the last 10 years — we’ve been doing it for 10 years. It seems to average out 1,000 children every year. Not just Sedona — last year was 250 kids on the Hopi reservation and then it was over 100 at Beaver Creek … I think there’s more families that are having trouble financially, so there’s [more] families that are applying.”
The demand for the program has increased along with requests for food assistance, Sedona Community Food Bank Executive Director Cathleen Healy-Baiza explained.
“We have about 41 children already signed up and we haven’t even hit Thanksgiving. That’s not from different families; some of them obviously have more than one child,” Healy-Baiza said. “We normally have about 68 children.”
“It’s a great way to give back to the community and help the less fortunate to let them know that somebody else cares about them, and builds community connections,” Karen Barrow said.
The city of Sedona will also be hosting the annual “Stuff the Bus” toy drive on Tuesday, Dec. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Posse Grounds Hub.To find the locations of drop-off boxes, register a child for the program or make an online donation, visit sedona-az.toysfortots.org or call (928) 274-0734
