Toys for Tots - Park Slope Civic Council

The Park Slope Toys for Tots ProgramA Park Slope Tradition since 1995

It’s giving time for children in need. Toys for Tots has collection boxes all over Park Slope. Read on to learn more.

What’s the HISTORY of the Toys for Tots program?

The Park Slope “Toys for Tots” program started in 1995 to help families in need receive toys. Since its inception, Toys for Tots has been lead by/supported by Tom Miskel and the Park Slope Civic Council. In the last few years Park Slope Parents (the local community of over 5,000 families) has helped by taking an active role – making the program great by spreading the word, helping with drop-off locations and more.

(NOTE: The Park Slope Toys for Tots program is unrelated to the sometimes controversial Toys for Tots program conducted by the Marines.)

Where do the toys go?

The gifts collected are distributed to local organizations, including Christian Help in Park Slope (CHIPS), the Lions Club of Red Hook, the Safe Horizons Brooklyn Community Program, the Crown Heights Community Mediation Center, and Saint Augustine’s Church Food Program. If you have a program that has needy children, contact us and we’ll try to add you to the list of needy families for future years!

How often will the toys be picked up? (Relatedly, what if my box is full?)

Tom will stop by throughout the season to see if the toys need to be picked up and keep it from overflowing. If you find yourself with your box flowing over, contact Tom at (347) 581-5820 and he can make a special pick up arrangement to help keep the quantities reasonable.

How do folks find out about the Toys for Tots drop-off locations?

Many of the local media outlets (e.g., Park Slope Stoop, Brooklyn Paper) cover the Toys-for-Tots program. It’s also posted on Park Slope Civic Council’s and Park Slope Parent’s websites and FaceBook pages. Park Slope Parents also sends out a list of the drop-off locations to their membership of 5,000 families and includes it in their Holiday Newsletter. There is also an online map of the drop-off locations (see below).

How can you help?

Spread the Word! YOU can help by posting a map in the window of your establishment and sending it out via email if you have a FaceBook page or newsletter. Brief the folks that work for you to mention it to your clients/customers/visitors.

Send us your email: We’d love to keep in touch via email. If you haven’t gotten an email from us then it’s likely that we don’t have an email for you. Send it to susan@parkslopeparents.com and we’ll get you on our list to help streamline things!

CONTACT INFORMATION

Tom Miskel, Park Slope Civic Council

Cell: (347) 581-5820

tonmisk@hotmail.com

Susan Fox, Park Slope Parents:

susan@parkslopeparents.com

http://www.parkslopeparents.com/

MAP of the drop-off locations: http://bit.ly/1gfhxhK

HAPPY HOLIDAYS and THANKS for your support of this great community program!

Make sure no child goes without a present to open this Holiday season with Toys for Tots. Donate a new or very gently used unwrapped gift for children ages 12 and under at locations across Park Slope.

All toys collected are given to local organizations that work with families in need. This year’s toys will be donated to Red Hook Housing; Wyckoff Housing; St. Augustine Food Bank; St. Thomas Aquinas; Safe Harbor for abused women with children; and Park Slope Youths.

2018 DROP OFF LOCATIONS:

Assemblymember Robert Carroll’s Office (416 7^th Ave)
Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon’s Office (341 Smith street)
Camp Friendship (8^th Street off 6^th Ave)
Community Bookstore (143 7^th Ave)
Corcoran Realty (175 7^th Ave)
Dime Savings Bank (5^th Ave and Union street)
Halstead Property (160 7^th Ave)
Investors Bank (7^th Ave and 8^th street)
Little Things Toy Store II (145 7^th Ave)
Little Things Toy Store III (7^th Ave and Garfield)
The Monro Pub (5^th Ave between 11^th and 12^th streets)
New Millennium Real Estate (443 4^th street)
Old Stone House (5^th Ave between 3^rd and 4^th streets)
Park Slope Armory YMCA (1402 8^th Ave)
Pink Olive (5^th Ave between Berkeley and Lincoln Places)
Pita and Sticks Greek Restaurant (9^th Street between 5^th and 6^th Ave)
Prospect Park YMCA (357 9^th street)
PS39 (417 6^th Ave)
Schwab Securities (7^th Ave between President and Union streets)
Scottadito Restaurant (788 Union Street)
Sky Ice (St. Marks Place at 5^th Ave)
South Slope Pediatrics (5^th Ave between 12^th and 13^th streets)
St. Saviour Roman Catholic Church (611 8^th Ave)
Sterling Bank (7^th Ave between President and Union streets)
TD Bank (5^th Ave at 1^st street)

TIPS FOR GETTING INVOLVED:

SHOP LOCAL to keep the community strong!

If you’re unable to shop local, put an extra gift in your online cart for those in need!

Make it a family affair and have your kids help choose the gift and deliver them together!