December 10, 2004

Annual Campbell toy drive in need of donations

Program tries to provide holiday gifts for about 1,000 low-income children in Campbell area

By Sheila Sanchez
Staff Writer

Carlos comes from a very low-income family. His mother barely makes enough money to pay rent every month and put food on the table. With little savings in the bank, he and his brothers and sisters will probably only get one present for Christmas.

The 10-year-old boy is one of the many children helped by the Campbell Community Toy program, which is in need of either cash donations or new unwrapped toys this year with only two weeks left before Christmas and the goal to provide presents for between 250 and 350 needy families in the Campbell area.

Santa Clara County Fire Capt. Gary Cocroft, who’s been coordinating the toy drive this year, said the program’s goal is to provide each child with six toys, which could be a book to promote reading; a toy to play with by themselves; a game or something to play with others; something artistic to promote creativity; an athletic or sports toy to promote exercise; a stuffed animal and toothpaste and a toothbrush to promote oral hygiene.

The Campbell Chamber of Commerce and the Santa Clara County Fire Department (SCCFD) sponsor the program.
The department is also encouraging community members to donate canned food items, which can be dropped off at any fire Campbell/Los Gatos fire stations. The items will be given to the Second Harvest Food Bank, which will distribute them to needy families.

“All money and toys raised go to Campbell kids,” said Campbell Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Betty Deal.

“Our community is extremely generous and if there are toys and money left we help worthwhile charitable organizations involving kids. Our priority is to meet the needs of children in the Campbell community.”

Deal said the program is in its 18th year and was started in 1986 as a way to meet the needs of underprivileged children during the holiday. She said the program continues to grow every year because of the generosity of Campbell’s businesses and its residents.

Cocroft and about 10 other firefighters will pick up donations from barrels set up at the Campbell Library, the Campbell Chamber of Commerce’s office, the Campbell City Hall building, the Campbell Community Center and several businesses in the city. Donations will also be accepted at any fire station in the Campbell/Los Gatos area.

“The reality of the Santa Clara County Fire Department is that we love what we do and we love to help the community,” Cocroft said of his selfless involvement in the program. “We’ll continue doing this as long as there’s a need.”

Cocroft said toys and donations would be sorted and given to needy families at the Sunnyoaks firehouse who will come to pick up their presents on distribution day, which is usually the Saturday before Christmas. This year, distribution day will be Dec. 18.

The SCCFD and the Campbell Police Department will also deliver gifts to the Eastfield Ming Quong family counseling service and home for emotionally disturbed children on Dec. 14.

“This program brings a lot of happiness to low-income children in Campbell and all of the children in the Eastfield Ming Quong Foundation,” Cocroft said. “We appreciate the generosity and the support of the community. This program would not be possible without their assistance.”

Since 1984, the SCCFD has assisted with the collection and distribution of toys, working with local high schools, community service agencies, and the United States Marine Corps. Santa Clara County Fire Capt. Tyrone Chew, “the grandfather of toys in Campbell,” who coordinated the program for 17 years, retired in November.

“It’s the most worthwhile community-based program around,” Chew said. “It works really well, it’s very focused and I’m proud to have been involved in it for so many years,” Chew said.

Chew said Campbell, like many neighboring communities, always has a need to ensure that needy children experience Christmas. “People are generous in sharing a little bit and the composite of everyone giving creates a wonderful opportunity for those who don’t have,” Chew added.

Cocroft reminded the public that cash donations are tax deductible. Those interested in making a cash contribution can send checks payable to Campbell Community Toy Program to the Campbell Chamber of Commerce, 1628 W. Campbell Ave., Campbell, Calif. 95008.

For more information about the program call the SCCFD at (408) 378-4010 or log onto www.sccfd.org.