Distribution for the 90th annual Toy for Joy will begin next week in Springfield.
Volunteers work to unload a tractor trailer full of toys for the 90th annual Toy for Joy campaign at the Greater Springfield Salvation Army Citadel at 170 Pearl Street on Tuesday.
SPRINGFIELD — A 53-foot tractor trailer arrived at the Greater Springfield Salvation Army Citadel on Tuesday morning, packed full of boxes of gifts for the 90th annual Toy for Joy campaign.
Sponsored by the Salvation Army, The Republican and Hasbro, Toy for Joy brings holiday gifts to children in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties. The goal is to raise $150,000 by Christmas Eve.
“We want to make sure everyone in need can benefit from this program. I think with all our partners, The Republican and Hasbro, it’s definitely going to be possible,” said Danielle Lataille, Social Services Director for the Greater Springfield Salvation Army Citadel. “The toys look great this year, I’m really excited.”
The truck was lined top to bottom with approximately 20,000 toys from NAMCO. This marks the first of two shipments the Springfield Salvation Army will receive before distributing the toys starting next week.
“Today is when we start getting the toy warehouse set up in the gym, and we have 12 volunteers from the Massachusetts Trial Court Community Service Program coming in to help with the setup,” Lataille said.
At 9 on Tuesday morning, the room looked like any other gymnasium, complete with basketball hoops for children in the Salvation Army’s programs to play with.
“This room will be covered from floor to ceiling,” said Lataille, looking around the empty gymnasium. The gifts will be divided into seven sections for each age group from ages infant to 16, then each age group will be divided into gender.
Volunteers from the Massachusetts Trial Court Community Service Program poured into the gymnasium one by one, each carrying boxes upon boxes as the truck sat outside the Salvation Army gymnasium. Familiar names such as “Fisher-Price” splashed across the boxes for the youngest age group.
Each child will receive three to four toys, two for their gender and one unisex. The gifts will most likely be one book, one game and one toy, all specifically for the child’s age range.
So far, 3,000 families with about 15,000 children have registered in Springfield for Toy for Joy. The Springfield Salvation Army will have one make-up registration day this Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. In Holyoke, registrations are being taken through Saturday.
“It’s been very smooth. We have a great staff, so there haven’t been any glitches,” said Ronda Ferreira, co-commander of the Greater Springfield Salvation Army Citadel.
“It’s my favorite program. It’s great to see how happy everyone is. It’s for the kids, and we want to make sure everyone is happy on Christmas,” said Lataille.
This will be Lataille’s fourth Toy for Joy as director of social services for the Springfield Salvation Army.
The toys from partner Hasbro will be delivered on Thursday in preparation for the first distribution on Monday.
Private organizations and individual donors have also been donating toys throughout the season.
The Greater Springfield Salvation Army Citadel expects to receive about 60,000 toys before distribution.
Salvation Army units in Springfield, Greenfield, Holyoke, Northampton and Westfield are participating in Toy for Joy.
For more information, call 733-7581. To make a contribution to the Toy for Joy fund, write: Toy for Joy, P.O. Box 3007, Springfield 01102. Contributions may also be dropped off with the coupon at The Republican, 1860 Main St., Springfield, weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. until Dec. 21.
Here’s a list of the latest contributors:
- Love, peace and joy to all in need, Merry Christmas from Ed and Bev, $50
- In loving memory of Roland and Gary Deyette from family, $20
- Happy Holidays to all from Sandy Kane, $100
- In memory of Rose and Walter Polchlopek, $50
- In memory of my son Tommy who always supported the cause, $100
- God bless Theresa Roberts who passed away on 11/14/12, $60
- In loving memory of my brothers Walter and Daniel Devine, $50
- In loving memory of Nicole M. Beliveau, $25
- In loving memory of Richard Petzold from Marilyn, $50
- In memory of Albert IV, Mom and Dad, $25
- In memory of our members who have gone west from Western Mass Aviation Assoc., $50
- Merry Christmas from Barb and John, $20
- From Gracie, Zachary and Moo, $100
- In loving memory of my dear parents Rena and Mike Panetta, $50
- In memory of Manser and Tootsie Hapcook, love your grandchildren and great grandchildren, $25
- In memory of Chip Grimaldi, $50
- In loving memory of our Uncle Billy, love Anna, Michael, David and Tony, $50
- In loving memory of my wife Ann O’Brien from Steve O’Brien, $600
- In memory of Big H and John, $25
- Happy Holidays from Holly, $25
- We are thankful for Keegan, Kaylee, Brendan, Jack and Tyler Myers, $100
- Memory of Dr. William Hennessey and all my loved ones in heaven from Joanne, $50
- Merry Christmas from Alexa, Evan and Ben, $200
- William, $100
- In loving memory of Steve Pacholec, love Jeanine, $25
- In memory of Marion Melius Dickey and Maurice Woodburn Dickey, $50
- In gratitude for all our blessings from the Matejczyk family, $25
- In loving memory of my father Samuel Rigby, $10
- In memory of Albert Santaniello, Armand, Alice and Darlene Corbeil, $50
- God bless from Edwin and Chris, $50
- From the members of American Legion Auxiliary Liberty Unit #430, $25
RECEIVED: $2,210
TOTAL TO DATE: $9,516
STILL NEEDED: $140,484