Cambridge Firefighters will once again partner with the United States Marine Corps Reserve in collecting toys in the annual “Toys-for-Tots” drive. Now in its’ 64th year, the program was started in Los Angeles, CA when a handful of Marine Reservists distributed 5,000 toys to needy children on Christmas Eve 1947.

Since its inception, over 188,000,000 needy children throughout the United States have benefited from the donation of over 400,000,000 toys.

Toys-for-Tots is a program that brings all elements of a community together for a common cause for a few weeks each year, dedicated to helping in the development of our children. Toys-for-Tots delivers a message of hope to children who have little reason to have hope for the future.

The Cambridge Fire Department is once again proud to work with the Marines in this great endeavor. New, unwrapped toys may be dropped off at any Cambridge Fire Station beginning Monday November 7, 2011 until Monday December 10th, 2011.

Monetary donations can also be made via the Toys-For-Tots Website; www.toysfortots.org

For further information, contact Deputy Chief Gerry Mahoney at 617-349-4944 or visit the Cambridge Fire Department web site at www.cambridgefire.org