Fall Giving in Tuckahoe

During the months of October, November and December, Guardian Self Storage will serve as a collection site for Toys for Tots, and we couldn’t be more excited! Participating in this charitable organization, which is an official activity of the U. S. Marine Corps and an official mission of the Marine Corps Reserve, makes us proud to be able to support the children and families of our Tuckahoe, NJ community.

Did you know that Toys for Tots began in 1947, collected new and used toys for children at Christmastime? It wasn’t until 1980 that the decision was made to only collect and distribute new toys. The Marines felt that handing out used toys sent the wrong message to children in need, in some way insinuating that they were not worthy of brand new toys. The primary goal of the program is:

“… to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens.”

This message of hope and an increase in one’s self esteem was thought to be more likely to come from a gift of a brand new toy, rather than a hand-me-down. Although there haven’t been any studies done to compare recipients of toys from Toys for Tots and their levels of self-worth, ask anyone who has ever volunteered or participated in a Toys for Tots distribution, and they will confirm that it is true. Receiving a gift from a soldier in uniform is an event that many children will never forget.

Since the beginning, the Marine Toys for Tots Program has distributed over 469 million toys to over 216 million less fortunate children. That is one statistic to be incredibly proud of! If you’d like to brighten a child’s day this holiday season, please drop off a new, unwrapped toy to our office during normal business hours. We thank you in advance for helping us to serve the families of Tuckahoe, NJ community.

Katie Mest

About the Author: Katie Mest is an SEO Specialist at Storage Asset Management in York, PA. She specializes in writing about the self storage industry, including storage tips and helpful resources. Outside of work, Katie enjoys camping, hiking, and exploring the outdoors with her newly adopted Greyhound rescue, Titan.