Spread holiday cheer to Virginia children with these 14 toy drives

Give back this holiday season by helping one of the many community toy drives happening in Virginia, ensuring a child in need doesn’t have to go without. 

This year, communities across Virginia are pulling together to bring a little holiday cheer to children and families in need by holding toy drives. From long-standing Toys for Tots partnerships to first-time initiatives, organizations stretching from Northern to Southwest Virginia are collecting new, unwrapped gifts and toys for children of all ages. Whether you want to support foster youth, families facing hardship, or children in hospitals, there are plenty of opportunities throughout the commonwealth to give back this holiday season.

Northern Virginia toy drives

Holiday Sharing Program 

Location: 1108 Jefferson St., Alexandria, VA 22314

The Fund for Alexandria’s Child’s Holiday Sharing Program will collect toy donations from Monday, Dec. 8, to Wednesday, Dec. 10, and then deliver them to families and foster children in need. The program works by having those interested in sponsoring a family purchase their specific wish list items. Guidelines for how the program works can be found here.

Toys for Tots Falls Church

Location: 120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046

The city of Falls Church 2025 Toys for Tots Drive launched on Friday, Nov. 7, and will conclude at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5. Community members are asked to donate new, unwrapped toys for children and gifts for teenagers. The Mary Riley Styles Public Library is serving as a collection site where a donation box can be found. Following the drive, the donations will be given to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve for distribution to children and teenagers in need.

Toys for Tots Prince William County Fire & Rescue

Location: 13101 Public Safety Dr., Nokesville, VA 20181

The Prince William County Fire & Rescue System is collecting toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation through Dec. 24 for distribution to less fortunate children.

The new, unwrapped toys that have been collected will be delivered to Toys for Tots for distribution.

Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church Christmas Toy Drive

Location: 4250 North Glebe Rd., Arlington, VA 22207

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Christmas Toy Drive is collecting toys to give to 158 children in the Affordable Homes and Community’s after-school program who might not otherwise receive Christmas presents.

Those seeking to donate can sign up through the website to see what gifts are appropriate based on age group and gender. Unwrapped presents can be dropped off in the collection box in the Narthex by Sunday, Dec. 14.

Heroes for the Holidays

Location: Loudon County Combined Fire and Rescue System stations

This year marks the first annual “Heros for the Holidays,” an effort spearheaded by the Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System in partnership with the Loudoun Career Firefighters Association Local 3756. While the system has worked with the Toys for Tots program in the past, it’s launching its own drive this year.

New, unwrapped toys can be dropped off at any of the system’s stations through Sunday, Dec. 7.

Northern Virginia Family Services Holiday Giving

Location: 3110 Fairview Park Dr., Suite 500, Falls Church, VA 22042

Northern Virginia Family Services Holiday Giving collects and distributes over 2,000 toys to children in Northern Virginia.

Toys can be donated from 1-6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 8, and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at the NVFS headquarters. Toys for ages 0-18 will be collected. To find out which toys are being requested, check out this flyer.

Fill the Cruiser Toy Drive

Location: Arlington County

This marks the 11th year the Arlington County Police Department has held its Fill the Cruiser Toy Drive. Aimed at benefiting children in Arlington, the drive collects new, unwrapped toys for children aged 0-17. Toys collected through the drive will be donated to Toys for Tots for distribution.

Donations are accepted through Monday, Dec. 8, at a variety of drop box locations, including the Central Library at 1015 North Quincy St., Arlington, VA 22201. A special collection event will be held Saturday, Dec. 6, during “A Very Village Holiday” at The Village at Shirlington, from 4-7 p.m., at 4280 Campbell Ave.

Central Virginia toy drives

Toy Lift Charities

Location: Charlottesville

Toy Lift Charities believes that every child is entitled to a happy childhood, and that includes receiving a toy during the holidays. The volunteer organization supports children through the 8th grade in Charlottesville and Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, and Nelson counties. Instead of using financial documentation to determine need, it relies on recommendations from schools so that children who might otherwise be overlooked still receive a toy.

Check out the Toy Lift wish list to see what toys children are asking for. Early drop-off locations can be found across the organization’s service area, including Courtyard by Marriott Charlottesville at 638 Hillsdale Dr., Charlottesville, VA 22901. The toy drive ends on Friday, Dec. 5.

River City Cruizers’ Toy Drive

Location: 3502 River Rd., Hopewell, VA 23860

River City Cruizers, Richmond’s most inclusive car club, is partnering with Inspired Concepts Car Club to hold a toy drive cruise-in and raffle on Saturday, Dec. 6. The event will collect new, unwrapped toys for children in Hopewell’s elementary schools.

A raffle will also be held, with over 20 items up for grabs. Tickets range from $5 to $10, depending on the item. Hot dogs and drinks will be available.

Toys for Tots Lynchburg

Location: 900 Church St., Lynchburg, VA 24504

The Lynchburg Division of Juvenile Services is spearheading a Toys for Tots drive in the “Hill City” to benefit children 14 years old and younger. The division is accepting new, unwrapped toys.

Kellan’s Legacy of Love Annual Toy Drive

Location: 5801 Bremo Rd., Richmond, VA 23226

Kellan’s Legacy of Love holds an annual toy drive to gather donations to bring comfort and joy to children facing medical challenges. The organization was founded in memory of Kellan Reynolds, who passed away at 9 years old from mitochondrial disease, by his mother. Since launching in 2021, it has provided over 2,000 toys to hospitalized children.

The Christmas toy drive runs through Friday, Dec. 12. Toys can be purchased through the Amazon wish list. They will be delivered directly to St. Mary’s Hospital.

New Kent Social Services’ Holiday Assistance

Location: 7911 Courthouse Way, Suite 100, New Kent, VA 23124

New Kent Social Services’ Holiday Assistance works with the community to gather donations for families in need during the holiday season. Toys are collected for children aged 0-17.

Toys can be dropped off through Monday, Dec. 15. Please fill out this form in advance.

Southwest Virginia toy drives

Montgomery County Christmas Store

Location: 30 W. Main St., Christiansburg, VA 24068

The Montgomery County Christmas Store is a volunteer-run community effort that seeks to help low-income families in Montgomery County during the holidays, which opens to families for shopping from Monday, Dec. 8-Saturday, Dec. 13.

Gifts of all kinds are needed for teenagers aged 11-18, along with specific toys such as Barbie Dolls, trucks, and small LEGO sets, for children aged 0-10.

Toys for Tots Roanoke

Location: Roanoke

The Toys for Tots campaign in Roanoke supports children who are less fortunate in Alleghany, Bath, Botetourt, Roanoke, and Craig counties, along with the cities of Salem and Roanoke. During the 2024 holiday season, it distributed 29,237 toys to 4,972 children.

Its donation campaign kicked off on Oct. 1 and will continue through December. New, unwrapped toys can be dropped off at donation sites scattered throughout the city, including the Kirk Family YMCA at 520 Church Ave. SW, Roanoke, VA 24016.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Related: A merry mix-up involving Toys for Tots in Southside Virginia