TOLEDO, Ohio — WTOL 11 Gift of Joy sponsored by PNC is kicking off this holiday season by benefiting 2,000 Toledo-area children who are victims of abuse and neglect.
The drive provides gifts for children living in foster care, with relatives or with their families under Lucas County Children Services supervision.
You can participate and help bring joy to a child by donating a new and unwrapped toy or gift. Gift collection begins Friday, Nov. 19 and runs through Dec. 22.
The drive provides gifts for children living in foster care, with relatives or with their families under LCCS supervision. “The pandemic has had a huge impact on children and families,” said Robin Reese, LCCS executive director. “The ‘normalcy’ of having gifts to open at the holiday season will be more important than ever, and is consistent with our mission of leading the community in the protection of children."
The drive provides gifts for children from birth to age 18. While we are seeking gifts for all age groups, the agency particularly needs gifts for children of all ethnic groups who are newborn to 3 years old, and gift cards for teenagers.
WHERE TO DONATE FOR GIFT OF JOY
Collection boxes are available at LCCS’ offices at 705 Adams St., downtown Toledo, or:
- All Toledo-area Burger King restaurants in Holland, Maumee, Northwood, Oregon, Toledo, and Lambertville, Mich.
- Civil & Environmental Consultants, 4841 Monroe St., Toledo
- Franklin Park Mall, 5001 Monroe St., Toledo (pick an ornament from the wish trees)
- La-Z-Boy Furniture stores, 5804 Airport Hwy. and 5173 Monroe St., Toledo.
- Toledo Auto Care, 4544 Monroe St., 5329 Heatherdowns Blvd., and at B&L Whitehouse Auto Care, 10829 Logan St., Whitehouse.
- Woodcraft, 5311 Airport Highway, Toledo.
- All Toledo-area Yark Automotive Group locations.
- WTOL 11 studios, 730 N. Summit St., Toledo (during regular business hours).
Barnes & Noble Booksellers at 4940 Monroe Street in Toledo has again selected LCCS as the recipient of its 2021 holiday book donation campaign, which encourages customers to purchase books to be donated to the gift drive.
GIVE ONLINE WITH CLICK IT, SHIP IT, GIFT IT
With Click It, Ship It, Gift It, you can shop online and ship a gift directly to WTOL 11 studios, and we'll help Lucas County Children Services gift it to a child!
Please donate by Dec. 14 to get your gift into the hands of a child.
To Click It, Ship It, Gift It, while you're shopping online, select a gift you'd like a child to have and use the WTOL 11 address for shipping:
WTOL 11
attn: PNC GIFT OF JOY
730 N. Summit St.
Toledo, Ohio 43604
WTOL 11’s DOWNTOWN GIFT DROP
On Dec. 9, WTOL 11 will host our fifth annual “Downtown Toy Drop” in the station parking lot at 730 North Summit St. from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Everyone is encouraged to drive through and donate a new, unwrapped toy to the LCCS drive. Please make sure your toy donation is in the trunk of your vehicle so we can ensure a touchless drop-off.
OTHER GIFT OF JOY EVENTS
Other events are planned to support the gift drive:
Community Bike Build
Nov. 28, 10 a.m., at the Jerusalem Township Fire Department, 9501 Jerusalem Road, (SR 2): Area firefighters and other invited volunteers will assemble bikes that will be given to children served by LCCS. JTFD, Toledo Firefighters Local #92, and others raised the money for Friends of LCCS to purchase bicycles at a discount from the Oregon Meijer.
Shred for a Toy
Dec. 4, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Burger King, 4870 Monroe St. (across from Franklin Park Mall): Allshred Services will provide free shredding for up to five bags or boxes of paper documents when you donate a new, unwrapped toy. 101.5 The River morning show host Rick Woodell will continue the tradition of broadcasting live from 10 a.m. to noon.
Toy-A-Thon
Dec. 11, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Franklin Park Mall, Sylvania Ave. parking lot (just east of Talmadge Rd.): iHeartMedia radio stations WRVF and WVKS will host their 2021 Toy-A-Thon. They will be collecting new, unwrapped toys; clothes; and monetary donations to help children and families served by LCCS.
Several generous community partners are again stepping up to support the gift drive. Key sponsors include PNC Bank; Bennett Management Corp., a franchisee of BURGER KING Corporation; La-Z-Boy; and Yark Automotive Group. Other partners include Allshred Services; Barnes & Noble Toledo; DANA Corporation; Franklin Park Mall; Toledo Auto Care; Owens Corning, and Woodcraft.