Local toy drives aim to help struggling families in SCV

Donated plush toys sit on a table during the second annual Toy Drive at Henry Mayo Hospital. Georgia Rios/The Signal
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By Kaitlyn Nickerson

For The Signal 

Santa Clarita Valley residents have many opportunities to care for children in the community during the holiday season. The SCV Sheriff’s Station, Los Angeles County Fire Department and the California Highway Patrol are just a few of the agencies who are offering ways for people to give back through donating toys. 

JCI Santa Clarita

“Santa’s Helpers” of The Junior Chamber International – Santa Clarita will be holding a toy drive during their annual Christmas party at Westfield Valencia Town Center on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Donations will be given to underprivileged Santa Clarita children and teenagers up to 18 years of age. JCI asks that donations include gift cards and other items suited for teenagers.

The group is also looking for volunteers to help sort and wrap gifts before the event, and help hand out gifts during the party.

For more information, or to volunteer and donate, contact the group through their website http://www.santashelpersscv.com/events.html

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station

The SCV Sheriff’s Station is accepting donations at the following locations:

Castaic: 

  • Castaic Elementary School, 30455 Park Vista Street

Canyon Country:

  • Adventure Dental, 19255 Golden Valley Road
  • Beaute Lab, 27213 Camp Plenty Road
  • Bicycle John’s, 26635 Valley Center Drive
  • Mitchell Elementary School, 16821 Goodvale Road
  • Sequoia School, 21445 Centre Pointe Parkway

Newhall:

  • KHTS AM 1220, 24300 Main Street
  • Eternal Valley, 23287 Sierra Highway

Saugus:

  • Creative Years Preschool, 21710 Golden Triangle Road

Stevenson Ranch:

  • Oak Hills Elementary School, 26730 Old Rock Road
  • Pico Elementary School, 25255 Pico Canyon Road
  • Stevenson Ranch Library, 25950 The Old Road

Valencia:

  • Cardinal Health, 27680 Avenue Mentry
  • Coldwell Bank Realty, 23914 Summerhill Lane
  • Frontier Toyota, 23621 Creekside Road
  • ICE Recovery and Wellness, 27560 Newhall Ranch Road, No. 305
  • SoCal Physical Therapy, 27616 Newhall Ranch Road, No. 35
  • Valencia Dental Group, 28134 Newhall Ranch Road
  • Valencia Sports Medicine, 27430 The Old Road

Los Angeles County Fire Department 

The L.A. County Fire Department, with the Department of Public Social Services, ABC7, Toys for Tots and Southern California firefighters are in their 27th year of the Sparks of Love Toy Drive, which provides underserved kids in L.A. County with new toys and sports equipment.

Capt. Chad Sourbeer and the firefighters of District 5 passed out toys to children from the community on Dec. 7 at Magic Mountain, and they are still accepting donations. Sourbeer, who is responsible for Spark of Love in SCV, said that helping children in the community this holiday season is a high priority for the department 

“The fire department is really taking a step forward to make sure this event is successful,” Sourbeer said. 

Sparks of Love involves 174 stations and gives more than 500,000 toys every year to underprivileged children in Los Angeles County. 

Kathryn Barger, 5th District Supervisor, was at Magic Mountain for the toy giveaway for foster youth.

“The event was very successful. There were more kids than ever before this year,” said Tony Bell, assistant chief deputy for Barger, whose district includes the SCV. “The weather was less-than-ideal, but a little bad weather can’t stop a day of fun.”

Barger reached out to the Department of Children and Family Services to inform foster youth and families where and when the toy giveaway was taking place. 

Donations can be taken to any fire station in L.A. County until Dec. 24. They are looking for new, unwrapped toys and sports equipment.

California Highway Patrol

CHP will be accepting toys at Target on Magic Mountain Parkway from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. daily until Dec. 19. They would like new, unwrapped toys as well and they will be donated to Toys for Tots. 

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