The toy collection drive begins on Tuesday November 29, 2011. Each station will have a collection box for new, unwrapped toys.

Toys for Tots began in 1947, when Major Bill Hendricks, USMCR (US Marine Corp-Retired) and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. The 1947 pilot project was so successful that the Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots in 1948 and expanded it into a nationwide campaign. That year, Marine Corps Reserve units across the nation conducted Toys for Tots campaigns in each community in which a Marine Reserve Center was located. Marines have conducted successful nationwide campaigns at Christmas each year since 1948.

This year in Santa Barbara County all toys collected by the Fire Stations will be distributed by the Unity Shoppe.

You can drop off the toys anytime between 9am and 5pm seven days a week at any of the Santa Barbara City Fire Stations located at:

• Station 1, 121 W. Carrillo Street

• Station 2, 819 Cacique Street

• Station 3, 415 E. Sola Street

• Station 4, 19 N. Ontare

• Station 5, 2505 Modoc

• Station 6, 1802 Cliff Drive

• Station 7, 2411 Stanwood Drive

• Station 8, 40 Hartley Place

The Department will not be accepting used toys, clothing or food for the program.

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