The winter season is a time to show love and compassion to your friends, family, and community- it’s the season of giving. Many people exchange gifts over the holidays to show appreciation for those they care about, however, some families in Carmel’s community struggle with monetary restraints. This can be tricky with young children who watch their peers receive imposing presents on Christmas morning, and wake up to nothing themselves. Holiday donations are a great way to practice giving back to the community and those in need. Everyone deserves a merry Christmas, and high school students can help that happen. 

One of the most popular ways to donate is through Toys for Tots, a nonprofit organization that was founded by Marine Corps Reserve Major Bill Hendricks in 1947, according to Marine Corps Reserve. Following major successes with the program, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation was established in 1991. The Marine Corps has since run and supported the Toys for Tots program, which has over 800 campaign sites throughout the United States. The foundation raises money, toys, and support materials to donate to families in need over the holidays. 

Sophomore Stephanie Tan said Toys for Tots was an accessible way for high school students to donate. Simply by visiting the Toys for Tots website online and choosing the option “Donate Online,” Tan said students could make someone’s Christmas much better. 

“I found out about the program last year, and decided I wanted to donate. I did the same this year. Even though my family doesn’t usually have a grand celebration, we’re comfortable. And not everyone can say that. So I took five minutes to just sit down on my computer and try to make a difference for some kid out there,” Tan said. 

Aidian Ramirez, Indianapolis’s former Toys for Tots coordinator, put together events to help get community awareness, built connections with business foundations and local schools, assisted with raising the toy donations and increased community participation through volunteering throughout the past three campaigns. 

“I’m still actively participating in it as much as possible now, even though I’m not the coordinator anymore, because I enjoy doing it. Because as the Marine Corps, we’re giving back to the community we serve, as well as the country we serve,” he said. 

Ramirez said contributing to Toys for Tots was a great way to get kids and the younger generation involved in the tradition of giving back. 

“It’s important to make the older kids aware that there are other kids out there (whose) families struggle to provide sometimes for their kids, and it’s a good way to give back,” he said. “Even though you don’t know who it’s going to, it’s a good way to pass on that extra cheer around this time of year.” 

Toys for Tots is easy and accessible to high school students, however there are other ways to donate as well. For example, Goodwill is an intangible asset store that sells donated goods for cheap prices. Many people choose to donate toys to Goodwill that are sold over the holidays to families looking for a cheaper alternative. 

Sophomore Caroline Hulsey said she routinely donates toys to Goodwill, especially over the holiday season. With two locations in Carmel, she said Goodwill was accessible to everyone at this school— anyone can donate simply by leaving toys in the drop-off boxes, she said.

“Usually when we’re bulk cleaning throughout our house, we find toys we haven’t seen in ages. We don’t need a lot of those anymore since me and my brother are teenagers now, and a lot of people at Carmel High School probably have some old toys too. It feels nice to know that these toys are going to a place where they’ll actually be used instead of just sitting in the basement,” Hulsey said. 

 Both Toys for Tots and Goodwill are easy and effective ways to donate. Not only this, according to Marine Conservation Society, donating to charities truly does feel nice to most people. Helping an important cause releases the “happy chemicals” serotonin and dopamine that will benefit the body and mood. So along with benefiting the community, donation benefits oneself through seeing the effects it has on others. 

Ramirez said that monetarily, families can use charities to save a few bucks on Christmas, which they can spend on other things for the kids. But it also prevents heart-broken parents with kids waking up to nothing on Christmas morning. For him, Ramirez said distribution day was the most rewarding. 

Ramirez said, “It all comes down to distribution day. So for us, we have four distribution days, and every year that I’ve done it, you can tell the people that come to show up to receive their toys are very grateful, and it goes a long way.” 

He reiterated some similar motivations from other coordinators for Toys for Tots, “I’ve met other coordinators that are not on the recourse side. And they remember when they were younger, they received toys from Toys for Tots. And the reason why they are coordinators now when they grew up was because of what it did for them and they want to pass on what had helped their family get through the hard times over the holiday season.” 

Tan said her subtle feelings of fulfillment after making a donation was worth more than anything she ever could’ve donated. 

Tan said, “I only donated $20 last year, and $20 more this year. But while $20 to me is just $20, to someone else (it is) the difference between a kid who feels loved and included, and one who doesn’t. I feel fulfilled knowing that. So next year, I’m going to donate another $20.”