Christmas for Kids toy drive in full swing

Donations of new, unwrapped gifts are collected in the barrels and will be used to stock the Toy Cottage in downtown Dayton, where parents and foster parents can choose items for their children.

Festive, colorfully wrapped barrels are popping up around the Dayton campus as part of the annual Christmas for Kids toy drive.

Every year, Wright State works with Montgomery and Greene County Children Services and their associated organizations to collect gifts for Dayton-area families in need.

“I’m honored to be a part of this project and thrilled to be able to see first hand the joy of giving from our wonderful Wright State community,” said Annette McCoy, marketing coordinator for Wright State’s Office of Communications and Marketing. “The generosity of Wright State faculty, staff and students has made an incredible difference for so many children.”

Donations of new, unwrapped gifts are collected in the barrels and will be used to stock the Toy Cottage in downtown Dayton, where parents and foster parents can choose items for their children. The Toy Cottage is managed by FLOC (For Love of Children), volunteers who are passionate about caring for neglected, abused and foster care children in the Montgomery County community.

Beth Mann, president of the FLOC board, said there are more than 5,000 children in the Dayton area who are neglected, abused or in foster care.

Donations for the Christmas for Kids toy drive at Wright State doubled last year in part because of broader participation.

“In offering Christmas to children who would be living a sad and empty holiday, you not only offer the gift of giving, you offer that gift of hope,” Mann said.

Greene County Children Services keeps a list from which donors can pick a child or family to “adopt” for the holidays. Donors will receive wish lists from their adoptees.

Helen Williams, CARES unit coordinator at Greene County Children Services, said Wright State has a huge impact on the success of the program.

“We really appreciate Wright State’s spirit of giving, and the children and families appreciate it too,” Williams said.

If you’re interested in donating to the Toy Cottage, items should be dropped off in the donation barrels by Wednesday, Dec.12. Barrels are located in:

• 182 Student Union (bookstore)
• 115 Medical Sciences (Human Resources)
• 160 University Hall (College of Nursing and Health)
• 106 Allyn Hall (Communications and Marketing)
• 013 Dunbar Library (Photography and Video Production)

If you’re interested in adopting a child or family for the holidays, contact Annette McCoy at (937) 775-5022 for donation information. Gifts for these families must be dropped off by Wednesday, Dec. 12, in 013 Dunbar Library. Send monetary donations to McCoy no later than Dec. 10.