WATCH ABOVE: The annual toy drive event at Shops at Don Mills brought families out for a good cause and a good time.
TORONTO – Over 35,000 toys and $20,000 has been raised over the five years Global News has support the Toronto Fire Fighters’ Toy Drive.
And organizers are hoping to build on that success this year.
“For more than 40 years, the Toronto Fire Fighters’ Toy Drive has been helping those in need by providing toys to children and youth across the GTA,” Rick Berenz, the president of Toronto Fire Fighters’ Toy Drive said.
Berenz said in an interview Thursday said there were roughly 40 off-duty firefighters at the evening’s events to help collect, sort and give out the donated toys. He said infants and teens are the children who need toys the most.
“If you give that to us, we’ll get it out to those teens,” he said. “We want 40,000 [toys] this year. Let’s do 40,000.”
WATCH: Rick Berenz explains why firefighters want 40,000 toys for kids in Toronto.
Global News took over the square at Shops at Don Mills Thursday evening in support of the toy drive, lit 10,000 lights on two Christmas trees and announced donations from a wide range of volunteers, including young students at a Toronto-area public school.
Students at Ellesmere-Statton Public School raised $1800 at a bake sale which they used to buy toys for the fundraiser. The money was subsequently matched by Toys ‘R Us.
“There was a student in the class who had gotten a gift from The Toronto Firefighters,” Teresa Horgan, a student at Ellesmere-Statton said in an interview. “He talked about how important that made him feel and how special, and about how his family was going through a tough time that year.”
Susie Adelson, a spokesperson for the toy company SpinMaster which sponsors the event, announced the company donated over $10,000 in toys to the fundraiser.
And the Shops at Don Mills donated $5,000 to the toy drive.
How you can help support the Toronto Fire Fighters’ Toy Drive:
Donate a Toy
Donate a toy at your local Toronto fire hall.
For an interactive map of fire halls in your neighbourhood, click here.
Make a Monetary Donation
Don’t have time to drop off a toy? Make a charitable monetary donation to the Toronto Fire Fighters’ Toy Drive through CanadaHelps.org
Get your office Involved
Your office can get involved to make the holidays brighter for many children in need.
Contact us at Toydrive@globalnews.ca to find out how you and your colleagues can donate toys and make a difference this holiday season!
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