“We have received pledges from several companies already that they are going to donate toys,” Deleon Guerrero told the Variety yesterday.
This year, the Society for Human Resource Management CNMI chapter is spearheading the donation drive initiated by the Karidat, a non-profit organization.
The toy collection drive started on Dec. 7 and will run until Dec. 21.
“We have 71 kids on the list of needy families who will receive the toys that will be donated. We welcome any toys for kids 0 to 10 years old,” Deleon Guerrero said.
Donations could also be books, coloring books and pencils, and other educational materials. Deleon Guerrero said donated toys should not be wrapped but labeled to indicate if they are for a boy or girl, and for what ages.
She said as soon as the toys are all in, they will inform parents to come and pick up the donations at the Karidat center. It is the parent’s responsibility to wrap the toys for their kids.
This will also get parents involved in the project.
Deleon Guerrero said the toys need not be expensive.
“The idea is to encourage people to share what they can afford,” she said.
The Toys for Tots drive does not include Rota and Tinian. Deleon Guerrero said they would have wanted to do so but they don’t have available funds to pay for the shipping costs, and there are always not enough toys for all the three main islands.
Deleon Guerrero said if they have excess donated toys, they share them with other agencies like the Division of Youth Services.
“There are also parents who drop in anytime and ask if we have toys for kids, and we give out whatever we have,” she said.
Wells Fargo has been spearheading the Toys for Tots campaign for over a decade but it closed its Saipan office last year. Marianas Medical Center took over. This year, SHRM was asked by Karidat to lead the toy collection.
“It’s good to get the involvement of different companies to lead the toy drive collection,” Deleon Guerrero said.
She has already received confirmation that Hyatt Regency Saipan will conduct a toy donation drive for Guma Esperansa.
For this Christmas season, Deleon Guerrero said she wishes everyone the best of everything including better health, prosperity, friendship, unity and peace.
Drop-off centers for toys are at StayWell Insurance in Sadog Tasi where the contact person is Eric Plinske; TakeCare Insurance at Tan Siu Lin Plaza in Garapan, contact person: Nora Sablan; Pacific Islands Club, contact person: Polly Masga; and the Karidat Center in Chalan Kanoa,, contact person: Angie Deleon Guerrero.
For more information, call the Karidat Center at 234-6891/5248, fax 234-9192 or email [email protected].
