The 2019 Alameda Firefighters Toy giveaway program is getting underway. The city-wide program is a partnership of the Alameda Firefighters, Alameda Food Bank, Alameda Red Cross Youth, Alameda Community Connections for Youth and their Families, Christ Episcopal Church and other community organizations. The program assures that all low-income Alameda families who sign up at the Alameda Food Bank will receive age-appropriate holiday toys for their children ages 0 to 12 and gift cards for their youth ages 13 to 17.

To receive toys and gift cards, low-income families may sign up at the food bank between now and Saturday, Dec. 14. Head Start families and Alameda Point Collaborative residents will also have the opportunity to sign up at their program sites.

Starting Monday, Nov. 18, collection boxes will be placed at all Alameda Unified School District schools, local businesses across the Island and City of Alameda buildings. The public is invited to place new, unwrapped toys (please, no gun-style toys) in the boxes before the final pickup on Wednesday, Dec. 18. Toys needed most are scooters, remote-control cars, sports balls, board games, Legos and educational toys.

Cash donations are also needed to purchase the gift cards given to youth and toys not given in sufficient quantities to meet the need. Checks made out to Alameda Firefighters Toy Program (AFTP) can be mailed to P.O. Box 6523, Alameda, CA 94501. Donations are tax-deductible.              
Toys will be distributed on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 20 and 21.                                                  

Questions? Contact Jim Franz at trumpet.jim12@gmail.com or visit www.alamedafoodbank.org.