SAN ANTONIO – Tis the season of giving! Toys for Tots is ramped up this year and is trying to help thousands of families and children across the San Antonio community.
The Toys for Tots operation is taking place at the San Antonio International Airport.
“I just see the smiles on the faces and it makes me smile,” Davien Macario, a volunteer, said. “(We) sort out the toys. (We) put the toys where they go. And when it’s time to give the toys, I put the toys in the bag and go give it to them.”
On Monday, Davien was with his mom, and their family has a history of stepping up and helping out.
“My father, he was in the Air Force and we started over in Okinawa, and he had us involved when we were young. And so every year, we’re always volunteering, giving back, giving to others that are in need,” Ira denton said.
And it’s not just volunteers. Marines from the 4th Reconnaissance Battalion are also hard at work.
“This is one of the many things that we do, besides our regular jobs over there at Fort Sam,” Gunnery Sgt. Jesus Cisneros Jr. said.
And for him, it is more than just a job.
“I know from a personal experience that when I was growing up, big, large family, five boys, five girls, one parent was working. We benefited from organizations like Toys for Tots. So in turn, I would like to do my part,” Cisneros said.
And this year, the Toys for Tots program is bigger and better. More than 300 local businesses have stepped up and are helping out, and the number of families getting help is more than 4,000 families receiving gifts — and that equals more than 10,000 kids.
“The biggest thing is the kids helping kids. As you can see, some of our volunteers, our kids, we do have several high school, middle school and elementary schools that have signed up to volunteer during distribution,” Cisneros said.
There is still some time to help out and donate toys. To find more information, click here.