How to Donate Toys for Christmas in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area
Residents of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area can celebrate the season of giving and help bring holiday cheer to needy children by donating new, unwrapped toys to one of the region's many Christmas toy drives. Nearly 30 percent of children in the nation's capital live in poverty, which is also on the rise in the capital's suburbs, according to a 2010 Washington Post examination of U.S. Census data. Toy donations brighten the holiday season for thousands of such children every year.
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Marine Toys for Tots
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The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation collects donations of new, unwrapped toys at numerous locations throughout the D.C. metro area. Toys are sorted according to gender and age and given to local agencies that distribute them to needy children. The foundation's website maintains a list of sites where toys can be dropped off October through December. Additionally, for the past five years the Washington Nationals baseball team has sponsored a Christmas in July event at one of its home games, with toys donated to Marine Toys for Tots.
Salvation Army Angel Tree
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The National Capital Area Command of the Salvation Army sponsors the Angel Tree program each Christmas season. Tags containing needy children's wish lists are distributed to area businesses and merchants who hang the lists from a Christmas tree to be adopted and fulfilled by individual or corporate sponsors. A list of Angel Tree locations is available on the organization's website.
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Children's National Medical Center
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Children's National Medical Center in D.C. maintains a toy closet to brighten patients' days while they are hospitalized or receiving difficult treatments. New toys are collected and distributed year-round and can be sent or brought to the hospital's volunteer services department. During the holiday season, area businesses and organizations sponsor toy drives on the hospital's behalf. The Desert Knight motorcycle club hosts one such annual event.
Central Union Mission
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Central Union Mission operates a men's homeless shelter in downtown D.C. and helps underprivileged women and children with a variety of social services. Donors to its Christmas bag program can choose a profile of a child and purchase toys and other Christmas gifts according to the child's needs and preferences, or can give new, unwrapped toys to be matched with a child and included in his or her bag.
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References
- The Washington Post: D.C., suburbs show disturbing increases in childhood poverty
- Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Anacostia, D.C.: About Toys for Tots
- The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command: Angel Tree Program
- Children's National Medical Center: Guidelines for Donating
- Central Union Mission: Children's Programs
- Desert Knights of America MC: Toy Drive for Children's Hospital
Resources
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
