Thousands of families shopped for Christmas gifts, selecting a variety of toys, games and more at a Toys for Tots popup shop in a designated section of the People’s Choice Family Fun Center in Waukegan.
When they finished picking the gifts, there was no cash register. The items were free.
Kimberly Calvillo said she was shopping for her two daughters. As a single mother, she works hard to make a family celebration for her girls. Selecting gifts without a worry about the cost relieves a stress during the holiday season, she said.
“This is going to make Christmas a little more special,” Calvillo said. “This makes it easier for me to plan Christmas.”
Calvillo is one of more than 6,600 families registered to select toys and other holiday gifts through Sunday from the popup shop in Waukegan operated by the Family First Center of Lake County for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program, which helps the under-resourced.
Rachel Chenier, the executive director of the Waukegan-based Family First Center, said each child gets a large toy and a stocking stuffer. The family selects a table or other game, a science kit and a coloring book. They are donated, but are new and unused.
Chenier said participating families must indicate they are low-income when they register. Their income must be within 80% of the poverty line for the area. They also show a Medicaid card or proof of some other form of public assistance. It is checked at registration, not when they shop.
When Family First initially started handling Toys for Tots distribution in Lake County 17 years ago, Chenier said participants would come to the check-in table where they were greeted by a volunteer.
Once the individual showed their registration receipt, they gave a volunteer the age and gender of each child. A volunteer then went to the appropriate area, selected the suitable items, put them in a plastic bag and gave it to the family.
A year ago, Chenier decided to create a popup shop, allowing families to select from a wide assortment of toys and games of their choosing. It gave them the feeling they were actually Christmas shopping, she said.
“It’s good for the child and the family,” Chenier said. “They’re able to select what they want. They get the feel of shopping and making choices. It’s so much better.”
Julia Perez was another shopper who likes the opportunity to make choices. She said the experience adds to the enjoyment of the Christmas holiday. Getting gifts from Toys for Tots helps her concentrate on other things she does to prepare for the holiday.
“It really helps us to have a happy family,” Perez said. “I know these toys will make my children happy on Christmas.”
Volunteers like Mike Morales of Waukegan are also an important part of the operation. They greet participants, answer questions and handle ministerial tasks as the days unfold. He said he has assisted for more than 10 years.
“I do this to give back to the community,” Morales said. “It’s nice to help these kids get stuff for Christmas. I remember the time I put a smile on the face of a child with Down syndrome. That was special.”
Gathering the toys started in early October and continued through Thanksgiving. U.S. Marine GySgt. Zachary Kapinus oversees the organization and distribution of Toys for Tots in Lake County. He said they put white bins in buildings and other locations around the county, where people deposit new, unwrapped toys. He anticipates 40,000 toys will be donated.
Kapinus said gifts are accepted that are appropriate for newborns through 12-year-old boys and girls. Along with putting out the white bins, some organizations hold toy drives, where the Marines go to assist. Marines also go to community events to explain the program.
