By Khalida Sarwari
Last year, the Campbell community donated and distributed more than 1,000 Christmas gifts to needy children in the city. This year, the goal is to exceed that amount with another toy drive and benefit event to raise money for the program.
Organizers, which include the Campbell Chamber of Commerce, the Santa Clara County Fire Department and the Campbell Union School District, are accepting new and unwrapped toy donations through Dec. 10 at several locations in Campbell. Drop-off boxes can be found at Campbell City Hall, the Campbell Library, the Chamber of Commerce, the Campbell Community Center, D & J Hobby on N. San Tomas Aquino Road and Toys Toys Toys in downtown Campbell.
On Dec. 15, the county fire department will sort and distribute bags with about four or five donated items to children ages 4 to 11 who are in the free or reduced lunch program in the Campbell Union School District. There are 1,350 children who meet that eligibility requirement this year, said Bethany Hooks, a spokeswoman for the Chamber.
“They’re all going to get toys; that’s the goal,” she added.
Aside from toys, organizers are also collecting sporting goods, books, board games and anything else that would be of interest to children, such as makeup kits for girls. Sporting goods may include basketballs, baseballs, soccer balls and tennis racquets. Books can be donated to Recycle Bookstore in downtown Campbell.
“There’s always a need for books and sporting equipment,” Hooks said.
Organizers are hoping to raise about $9,000 in cash donations this year. Much of it is expected to be raised at a benefit event on Dec. 6 at Nordahl Hall in Los Gatos. The event will feature performances by the San Jose Christian School children’s choir, Just B Dance and Grace Academy, with all proceeds going toward the toy program.
There will also be silent and live auctions and about 25 raffle prizes, including a third generation iPad donated by West Coast Marketing and Yellow Checker Cab. Fifteen restaurants are participating in the event, including Rock Bottom Brewery, Pacific Catch, Kyoto Palace, Capers, Le Boulanger, Hobee’s, Frankie, Johnnie & Luigi Too and Buca di Beppo.
The cost of admission for the toy benefit night is a $10 donation and one toy. The program will be held from 5 to 9 p.m.
Last year, organizers raised nearly $7,700 and handed out toys to 1,350 children, including families receiving welfare assistance. That figure was double the amount in 2010 when 750 kids received toys, according to Hooks. The program, now in its 28th year, was started by the county fire department. The Chamber became involved in the toy drive program in the 1990s, said Hooks.
The Chamber is seeking volunteers who can help with the sorting and distribution of the toys on Dec. 15. For more information, call 408.378.6252.
For the first time this year, the Chamber is also accepting cash donations on its website at campbell chamber.com.
Campbell has lofty goal for toy drive: something for everyone
