Capital Region’s Toys for Tots campaign kicks off with new warehouse location in Mechanicville

PHOTOGRAPHER: Erica Miller

Marine Gunnery Sgt. (Ret) Albert Roman, local coordinator of the Capital Region’s Toys for Tots campaign, speaks Thursday.

MALTA – The Capital Region Toys for Tots announced the launch of its holiday campaign and that it will be moving its holiday headquarters from Clifton Park to a new warehouse in Mechanicville.

The 2022 Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots campaign kicked off in the Capital Region Thursday. This year, the Capital Region Toys for Tots campaign is asking the community for help not just in donating toys, but also in transporting toys to the new warehouse space, area coordinator Marine Gunnery Sgt. Albert Roman said.

“We are calling out to the community, Roman said. “And, to the local businesses to help provide box trucks and vehicles that are necessary to help the transportation of thousands of toys, from the previous location from Clifton Park to the new warehouse ahead come this holiday season.”

The warehouse space in Mechanicville was donated by Adirondack Basement Refinishing Systems owner Kevin Koval. The support of the community is needed to help make the move to the warehouse, Roman said.

More: All News | Saratoga County

“We can’t do it without you,” Roman said. “We haven’t delivered one box, we are going to have less than 30 days to get all the boxes out to the community.”

Individuals or businesses interested in helping to transport toys to the warehouse in Mechanicville can contact Toys for Tots by emailing: [email protected]

“Every year we have scenarios that are out of our control and we’re going to come, we’re going to succeed and we’re going to win,” Roman said. ”The only reason that we are successful in the Capital Region is because of our communities and our partners.”

Capital Region Toys for Tots and the Marine Corps Reserve will work with more than 250 community agencies and serve more than 200,000 children this holiday season, Roman said.

Capital Region Toys for Tots serves 14 counties in upstate New York. In 2021 it distributed 237,907 toys, supporting 237,000 children.

Toys for Tots needs as many volunteers as possible, Roman said. Volunteers are needed to drive, sort toys, bag and tag toys, he said. Anyone from middle school age (volunteering with a parent) and older can volunteer. People interested in becoming a volunteer can do so by clicking “become a volunteer” on the Toys for Tots website.

The Capital Region Toys for Tots campaign will collect new unwrapped toys in drop boxes at about 400 locations, including over 100 locations at Dunkin’ restaurants.

“We are committed to carrying on this holiday tradition of delivering gifts to children while keeping everyone safe and healthy this holiday season,” Roman said. “We look to our long-term partners, including Dunkin’, for support in accomplishing this annual mission of spreading joy to children during the holidays.”

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program, and the 14th year Dunkin’ has partnered with Toys for Tots.

Dunkin’ has made a donation of $25,000 to the Capital Region campaign.

“We encourage all our valued guests to please help us kick off the season by dropping off a new unwrapped toy at any of our 100 locations,” Dunkin’ franchisee Natasha Teixeira said.

Quick Response will be sanitizing toy donations, said Fabian Johnston, executive director of Quick Response. The company will also be hosting a 10-day toy drive.