If you're looking to make a difference for local children with medical needs this holiday season, here's a toy drive where you can do just that.
The 3rd annual Joy for Jack's toy drive, organized in part by the Edna 4-H group, collects donated toys and provides them to the local non-profit social services organization Jack's Helping Hand.
Jack's Helping Hand — formed by a local family in 2006 in honor of their son who died after a three-year battle against a rare form of brain cancer — then distributes the toys to children who are medically fragile or have special needs to ease the struggle of medical appointments and the time away from home that comes with that.
"We don't get anything," said 12-year-old Edna 4-H member Miller Haase when asked why he participates in the drive. "It makes us feel good. We help local people and people in our community. [We] help kids who need it and it's way better to give than to receive."
All of the toys stay in the community and go to local children.
The toy drive runs through Sunday, December 10. You can donate by dropping off toys at select donation bins in San Luis Obispo County. That list can be found below.
Last year, the toy drive brought in over 800 toys, according to Edna 4-H.
Drop-Off Locations, 4-H sites
- Rio Rancheros (Atascadero)
- El Camino (Arroyo Grande/Nipomo)
- Adobe Nipomo (Nipomo)
- Canyon Country
- Morro Bay
- Pozo
- Chaparral (Paso Robles)
- Huasna
- Parkfield
- Templeton
Drop-Off Locations, Participating Businesses
- All five local Farm Supply locations
- Home and Garden True Value Arroyo Grande
- Avila Valley Barn
- Feed and Ranch Supply Nipomo
- SLO Chiropractic
- American West Tire, Atascadero
- Atascadero Hay and Feed
- Santa Margarita Feed and Farm Supply
- Hewitt Hardware
- Under the Sea Gallery
- Coast Family Orthodontics
- UPS store, San Luis Obispo locations
- Tom's Toys
- I Love Rocks
- Nucci's Pizza
- PXDesign
- SLO Public Market
