Toys For Tots: How To Help In Kendall County This Season

KENDAL COUNTY, IL — While you're checking off holiday gifts for family members, don’t forget the kids who aren't on anyone's shopping list and pick up some items for the Toys for Tots campaign in Kendall County.

Through the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots program, anyone can donate new, unwrapped toys that will be distributed to less fortunate children at Christmas.

The original Toys for Tots project was founded in 1947 by Marine Corps Reserve Major Bill Hendricks, and it became a nonprofit public charity at the behest of the Marine Corps in 1991. The organization is still run exclusively by veteran Marines.

The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, recognized by the Internal Revenue Service, uses 97 percent of every donation to buy toys for children in need.

Last year in Will, Kendall and Grundy counties, 38,644 toys were distributed to 26,856 children who might not otherwise have gotten any Christmas gifts. To date, the Toys for Tots program has distributed 677 million toys to 301 million children.

Here's where you can donate in person across Kendall County until Dec. 20:

Oswego

• Oswego Chamber of Commerce, 73 W. Van Buren St.
• Imagination Print and Design, 68 Main St.
• EXP Reality, 12 S. Main St.
• Oswego Police Department, 3355 Woolley Road
• Oswego American Legion, 19 W. Washington St.
• Serv-Bank, 3201 Orchard Road
• Impact Sports, 39 Stonehill Road
• Oswego Village Hall, 100 Parkers Mill
• Mister Sparky, 155 Kirkland Circle
• Springs at Oswego, 801 Fifth St.
• The Reserve at Oswego, 900 Douglas Road
• Red Robin, 2860 Route 34
• Popshelf, 3060 Route 34
• I Love Kickboxing, 1756 Douglas Road
• Premier Tint, 110 Kirkland Circle

Montgomery

• Children of America, 2141 Orchard Road
• Oswegoland Park District, 5 Ashlawn Ave. and 0 Boulder Hill Pass
• Farm & Fleet, 400 Route 30
• Montgomery Village Hall, 200 N. River St.
• Montgomery Police Department, 10 Civic Center Ave.
• Menards, 1200 Ogden Ave.

Yorkville

• Edward Jones, 803 N. Bridge St. in Yorkville
• J&E Restorations, 720 N. Bridge St. in Yorkville
• Midas, 224 Route 34
• Earthmover Credit Union, 1008 N. Bridge St.
• State Rep. Jed Davis, 1925 S. Bridge St.

Besides dropping off toys at several locations, people who want to support the campaign can also donate online.