CAMARILLO, Calif. – The Fire Departments of Ventura County team up every year with ABC7 and local sponsors for the Spark of Love toy drive, the largest community toy drive in the nation. For more than 29 years, your local firefighters have been collecting donations for distribution to Ventura County children and teens in need of a happier holiday experience.
This special community campaign collects new, unwrapped toys and sports equipment for underserved children and teens in Ventura County. Our newest partner this year, Food Share will be providing boxes of food to families served thru this year's toy drive. Non-perishable food and toys can be dropped off at any participating location. Donations collected stay within our community.
In 2020, generous donations from our communities provided toys to more than 15,000 children through more than 30 nonprofits. Due to the effects of the pandemic, we anticipate this year’s requests for toys will reach higher than ever.
How you can help make the holidays brighter for local children in need:
Spark of Love is only possible due to the on-going generosity of thousands of people in our communities across the region.
DONATE A TOY:
• Drop off new, unwrapped gifts and nonperishable food at your local fire station (subject to change anytime due to public health protocol) or participating business. Find a business near you here: www.vcfd.org/sparkoflovedropoff
• Local businesses can request a Spark of Love collection box for their location or event. If you wish to host a drive, please contact Crystal Stratton at Crystal.Stratton@Ventura.org to request a collection box.
To donate via credit card to the Ventura County Professional Firefighters Association Charity Fund, click the ‘Donate Now’ button. All proceeds will go to buying toys or sports equipment for the children and are tax deductible. TIN # 47-2253294
All purchases made online will be delivered to Toy Central for distribution.
Together, we can keep the Spark of Love alive for children in Ventura County this holiday season!
For media inquiries, contact Crystal Stratton with the Ventura County Fire Department at (805) 914-9213.
BACKGROUND
Starting in 2016, the Southern California Spark of Love toy drive partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. This nationwide program has been collecting and distributing toys since 1947. For nearly three decades, Spark of Love has successfully collected more than ten million toys for underserved children and teens in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Ventura and Riverside counties. Toys collected in the respective counties are distributed locally.
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