While many families have been looking forward to a season of joy and light after such a stressful 2020, countless others have been left scrambling to provide. Local organizations have put together the following donation drives to help families and bring smiles to kids’ faces. We hope you’ll consider donating if you are able!
Constable Toy Drive
Residents of the Heights, there is still time to donate new toys for kids or gifts for teens. Organized by the Houston Heights Association, the Constable Toy Drive is held at the Heights Fire Station. Those who’d like to donate toys or gifts can drop off items during one of the times below:
Friday, December 11th • 10 AM – 2 PM
Monday, December 14th • 4 PM – 6 PM
The Houston Heights Association will also be hosting a mini holiday concert with prizes on Monday, December 14th as a thank you for all the generous donations. The celebration coincides with toy pickup as well as their General Meeting. Join in on the fun on Zoom.
Operation Stocking Stuffer
Operation Stocking Stuffer is Houston Fire Department’s annual toy drive, which has been providing gifts for disadvantaged children for over 30 years. In fact, the program donated gifts to more than 20,000 kids in 2019 alone. It’s hard to imagine all those puzzles and action figures! To reduce personal interactions, it’s preferred that donors purchase new toys online for delivery to:
1334 Brittmoore Road #1801
Houston, Texas 77043
In-person drop-offs of new toys may be scheduled by appointment. Monetary donations are also accepted. Donations are welcomed through December 16th.
Star of Hope
At Star of Hope, you have the option to help families in need in a variety of ways. Their 2020 Gift Catalog features monetary giving selections including meals, Christmas gifts, education, shelter and care, and clothing. Each year, Star of Hope assists more than 6,000 residents of all ages with its charitable initiatives.
A Note on Monetary Donations
Helping out your community just makes you feel good, doesn’t it? It’s so fun to pick out the coolest toys for other kids to enjoy. However, your monetary donations go further than you may realize. When it comes to donations of goods, charitable groups often receive a little too much of one item and not enough of another. In this case, that may mean too many gifts for boys and not enough for girls (which is part of why some organizations request gender neutral gifts).
By making a monetary donation, you are giving the organization the flexibility to assess what they need and the ability to purchase it themselves – so if you’d rather donate money, definitely don’t feel bad. Any form of support you can offer is more than appreciated!
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