Toys for Tots Buying Spree - Help!!

I'm stoked to announce that we'll probably end up raising close to $4,000 in our Toys for Tots auctions once all is said and done!!

I'm thinking that if we drop that much cash at a particular store, that store should be willing to float a discount for our "patronage." Plus, they'd be hooking up Toys for Tots with that much more love.

Does anybody have a toy store hookup in San Diego that we can take advantage of???

Dave,
Ususally, I think if you have that large of a donation, the marines prefer to have a cash donation instead of toys. That way they can fill in the holes for all the toys which aren't donated. Plus, I think they probably get a pretty big discount when buying toys already.
Might be worth checking into.
I guess that's really not nearly as much fun though as showing up with $4K in toys in the back of your pickup truck. The toys would really make a much better photo op as well.
AJ

I'm in charge of the Toys for Tots penny drive at the high school where I teach. We are going to spend the $2,300 we raised tomorrow morning. My students love to pick out toys that they either cherished as children OR they pick the toys that they always wanted and never got. Every year we fill a small moving van full of toys, and yes, it does make for some impressive photos, some impressive life lessons and some impressive feelings of good will.

Three things to keep in mind that I have learned over the years 1) the Marines love to get toys for ages infant to 16. We try to shop for everyone and get everything from teething rings & rattles to fiction books, makeup & electric razors, etc for older children in need. 2) The Marines in our county hold a toy Christmas party where all the kids get to show up and they each get to pick two or three toys. For that reason we try to get all toys of equal impact -- our students used to always pick out a boys bike and a girls bike but the Marines let us know that it is hard to figure out who gets the shiny bike and who doesn't. We have since given up on buying bikes and spend that money on more moderate gifts in greater number. 3) One of the advantages of doing this toy drive through the school is that we get all of our purchases tax-exempt; this saves us hundreds of dollars and lets us buy the full value of toys.

It may be late this year to connect your program with a non-profit group but if you plan to make this an annual event (and you will when you get that warm-fuzzy feeling of giving) you might look into it in the future. I have really enjoyed inviting my high schoolers (who are quite well-off) to shop as they bring such a spirit and thrill to the whole experience.

Our best experiences have been at non-chain stores - we go to Farm & Fleet. The mom's and pop's really appreciate the influx of cash and it helps the community as well. They have always been great at welcoming the students and they ALWAYS throw in their own personal employee donations and the store contributes a cart full of merchandise as well. You can get a good deal out there, you just have to try different stores until the right one grabs you. We always call to warn them when we are coming, the kids help bag the merchandise and we ALWAYS send a thank you card.

Have fun shopping and playing Santa Claus!
Merry Christmas!

One last note - we try to purchase interactive toys so that the kids can play with brothers, sisters, moms, dads, etc. Rather than a stuffed animal that is cute but gathers dust, we buy UNO cards, a baseball and two mitts, Monopoly, tea party sets, etc.

Dave, I tend to agree with AJ, yet since I was a Jaycee at one time appreciate what lzrd said and did. We hold a drive every year in my restaurants auctioning off a chance on a pair of bicylces for a dollar and raise nearly six thousand dollars as well as being a collection point for new toys. The marine sargent always says that they get all kinds of toys for little kids, but don't have cash for big kids, so there is an option, give cash or big kid stuff. If you approach the manager at Wal Mart they will give you a discount and like it or not they usually are the cheapest. Perhaps a very late night shopping spree when they are their slowest and can accomodate such a large purchase would be encouraging. I have done this for over twenty years and actually being there when the kids receive the gifts is the most touching and heart warming moment of your life and is the reason I have always made this happen every year! Good Luck!