TRAVERSE CITY— Despite increased demand and slightly lower donations, the Toys for Tots program in northern Michigan expects to deliver a joyful Christmas to thousands of children, thanks to what organizers call an outpouring of community generosity.
“It was a challenging year this year. We had more requests than usual,” said Mike Kent of Toys for Tots. “The donations came in just fine — a little bit lower than we’ve seen in previous years. But we sit here on Christmas Eve feeling very confident that through the generosity of people in this community, we will have served over 5,000 kids.”
Kent said the program collected and distributed about 20,000 toys across a five-county area, working with more than a dozen nonprofit and human service organizations. The toys will ultimately be opened Christmas morning, a moment volunteers do not witness firsthand but one they take pride in nonetheless.
“That’s kind of the excitement. That’s kind of the joy,” Kent said. “We don’t see that. But we have this faith that these kids are going to have a great Christmas again, because of the generosity of this community.”
Requests for toys spanned all age groups, from books for older children to sporting equipment for younger ones. A standout contribution this year came in the form of bicycles. Nearly 250 bikes were donated through Piper’s Project and Bikes for Tykes and distributed through Toys for Tots — a rarity even within the nationwide program.
“Toys for Tots is a nationwide campaign with over 800 campaigns throughout the country,” Kent said. “But to have these organizations that make this Christmas so special for hundreds of kids by providing bikes — it’s just a remarkable contribution.”
Kent, who has been involved with Toys for Tots for 27 years, said the program’s impact goes beyond children to parents struggling to make ends meet during the holidays.
“They go into this Christmas hoping their kids can have a Christmas just like everyone else, but they don’t know how they’re going to afford it,” he said. “Because of the generosity of people who donate their time, their money, and the toys, we see that relief for the parents and that joy for the kids.”
Economic conditions continue to influence the program year to year, Kent said. This season brought higher demand alongside a slight dip in toy and monetary donations, a trend mirrored in other Toys for Tots campaigns across northern Michigan. Even so, he said local programs believe they met the need.
Kent credited volunteers for making it possible, joking that the physical work only gets harder as the campaign winds down.
“The toys get heavier at the end of the campaign,” Kent said. “I’ve got a heat pad on my back right now. It’s the end of the campaign — and that’s why.”