{"id":21822,"date":"2024-11-19T09:35:23","date_gmt":"2024-11-19T14:35:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/?p=21822"},"modified":"2024-11-13T09:11:07","modified_gmt":"2024-11-13T14:11:07","slug":"holidaytoydrive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/2024\/11\/holidaytoydrive\/","title":{"rendered":"Working Together to Help Others This Holiday Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 14th<\/sup> annual Orange County Mayor’s Holiday Toy Drive<\/a> has officially launched, and the County\u2019s youth and family agencies are busy collaborating with the local community to bring joy to local families in need this holiday season.<\/p>\n

One of these agencies \u2013 the Orange County Citizens\u2019 Commission for Children<\/a> \u2013 has rolled up its sleeves to ensure yet another successful toy drive. \u201cOur role is to help identify families in need, coordinate donations and make certain the toys are distributed properly,\u201d said Angela Chestang, division manager.<\/p>\n

The Citizens\u2019 Commission for Children, a division of the Community and Family Services Department, works closely with the 13 Orange County Neighborhood Centers for Families<\/a> to identify where the greatest need exists to ensure children wake up on Christmas morning with toys under their trees. It also collaborates with other partners, including various County divisions, non-profit organizations, corporate sponsors, volunteers, community groups and news organizations to see to it the process go smoothly.<\/p>\n

\u201cLogistics for a toy drive like this include organization, collection, transportation, distribution, communication and outreach,\u201d explained Chestang. \u201cThere are a lot of moving parts, so proper planning is critical, which is why we start the process in July.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Chestang has witnessed first-hand the tremendous impact the Toy Drive has on families<\/p>\n

facing financial hardship. \u201cIt\u2019s a meaningful experience for them when their kids are able to receive toys for Christmas,\u201d she said. \u201cIt allows parents to focus on spending more quality time with their children instead of worrying about whether or not they can afford toys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last year, thanks to the generosity of local residents and businesses, the County collected more than 11,500 toys to support Orange County\u2019s youth and family agencies, along with several local nonprofits.<\/p>\n

For County employees like Chestang, the Toy Drive provides opportunities to work with community partners and engage with local families. It also reminds everyone involved about the importance of giving back and kindness, and how this can have a huge impact on someone\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI encourage everyone to get involved in whatever way they can,\u201d asserted Chestang. \u201cDonate toys and spread the word about donating toys. We rely on these donations to bring joy and infuse hope to others during the season of giving.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can purchase a gift online from the County\u2019s virtual toy store<\/a> by Tuesday, Dec. 3. All purchases will be shipped directly to the County\u2019s holiday warehouse. And you can boost your impact by starting an\u00a0online team drive<\/a> \u2013 perfect for businesses and community groups.<\/p>\n

You can also drop off your new, unwrapped toy donations by Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, at one of more than 30 drop-off locations across the County. Please note that cash, gift cards and plush toys are not accepted. Find a location near you by using the County\u2019s interactive map<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The 14th annual Orange County Mayor’s Holiday Toy Drive has officially launched, and the County\u2019s youth and family agencies are busy collaborating with the local community to bring joy to local families in need this holiday season. One of these agencies \u2013 the Orange County Citizens\u2019 Commission for Children \u2013 has rolled up its sleeves […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":21824,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[254,308,309],"class_list":["post-21822","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-services","tag-holidays","tag-mayor-toy-drive","tag-toy-drive"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWorking Together to Help Others This Holiday Season<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/2024\/11\/holidaytoydrive\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Working Together to Help Others This Holiday Season\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The 14th annual Orange County Mayor’s Holiday Toy Drive has officially launched, and the County\u2019s youth and family agencies are busy collaborating with the local community to bring joy to local families in need this holiday season. 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