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The history of Toys for Tots began in December of 1947, when the wife of Marine Reserve Major Bill Hendricks made a Raggedy Ann doll and requested that her husband deliver it to a group that would give it to a needy little girl on Christmas Day.

However, the major was unable to find an agency that could do the job. As a result, the major and members of his Los Angeles Marines Reserve unit decided to join forces to collect and distribute 5,000 toys to the needy children of LA. From this effort, Toys for Tots was born. The next year, the Marine Corps Reserve adopted the program as its own and started collecting toys in nearly 200 communities across the nation.

The state of Michigan has become a leader in the Toys for Tots effort. Each year, Marine Reservists throughout the region dedicate their days to ensuring that low-income children and teenagers are blessed with a little Christmas happiness. If you live in Michigan , chances are you can find a Toys for Tots drop-off location in your community.

The Bay County program began in 1980 through the efforts of retired Marine Gunnery Sergeant and Bay City Police Officer Robert Greenleaf. During the first year of his program, he made sure that 263 children were served. Since that time, the program has grown dramatically. Currently, more than 2500 children receive presents at Christmas because of the Bay County program. Under the leadership of former Marine Jeff A. Jarvis, the campaign continues to reach out to disadvantaged children throughout the area.

The toy giveaway program is truly a community effort. A number of businesses have partnered with the program as a community service. Today, you can drop off toys for the program at a number of businesses, fraternal organizations, and professional organizations.

For instance, malls, motels, realty companies, travel agencies, local chambers of commerce, chiropractic offices, realtors’ associations, schools, and other organizations routinely take part in the effort. This community support is largely responsible for the continued success of the program.