{"id":59959,"date":"2025-12-16T17:47:51","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T22:47:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/?p=59959"},"modified":"2025-12-16T17:47:56","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T22:47:56","slug":"toy-drives-in-lakeland-how-to-make-the-holidays-merry-for-everyone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2025\/12\/16\/toy-drives-in-lakeland-how-to-make-the-holidays-merry-for-everyone\/","title":{"rendered":"Toy Drives In Lakeland: How To Make The Holidays Merry For Everyone"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Donate toys and gifts to children in need to Toys for Tots and other Polk County toy drives this season.<\/p>\n\n\n

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While you\u2019re checking off holiday gifts for family members, don\u2019t forget the kids who aren\u2019t on anyone\u2019s shopping list and pick up some items for toy drives in Lakeland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most well-known toy drives is the Toys for Tots<\/a> campaign, led by the Marine Corps Reserves. Since 1947, Toys for Tots drives across the country have collected 708 million toys that were distributed to 314 million children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year in Polk County, more 55,400 toys were distributed to about 15,000 children who might not otherwise have gotten any Christmas gifts through Toys for Tots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though many Toys for Tots drives and events have already passed this season, people who want to support the campaign can still donate online<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Lakeland area<\/a>, donations of new, unwrapped toys also are still being accepted directly at the Toys for Tots warehouse at 615 McKean Street in Auburndale through Dec. 20 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, an IRS-recognized nonprofit public charity created in 1991, uses 97 percent of every donation to buy toys for children in need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other toy drives in Lakeland include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n