This year marks the 24th Annual Holidays United Toy Drive with the New Bedford Firefighters’ and United Way of Greater New Bedford. Each year, toys and gift cards are collected to ensure that children and teens in Greater New Bedford have a happy holiday season.
New, unwrapped toys and gift cards can be donated at any New Bedford Fire Station as well as a number of local community-minded businesses now through Monday, December 14th. Once toys are collected, a number of active and retired firefighters will spend a day sorting, filling, and delivering toy requests to organizations in Greater New Bedford.
“Each year hundreds of members of the Greater New Bedford community come together to ensure that Christmas remains a special time for local families,” said Victoria Grasela, VP of Marketing & Community Engagement at United Way of Greater New Bedford. “By donating a toy or gift card to our drive, you help to put smiles on the faces of hundreds or kids and teens in our community. We are especially grateful to the New Bedford Firefighters’ Union for its commitment to the initiative.”
All of the items collected will be delivered to local nonprofit organizations that serve youth. Some organizations that have received toys from the drive in the past include: Meeting Street/Schwartz Center, NorthStar Learning Centers, Donovan House, Harbour House, Family Preservation Program, and United Way’s Family Resource & Development Center. These agencies will distribute the toys to children through their various holiday activities.
To make donating even easier, we’ve set up an Amazon Wish List where you can shop while you are on the go and have items delivered right to our office!
Click here to view a list of business collecting gifts this season or to view our Amazon Wish List.
Please do not contact the New Bedford Fire Department with questions about the toy drive. Instead, contact United Way of Greater New Bedford with any questions at 508-994-9625 ext. 210