State police and the Marines yesterday stepped up their campaign to turn around a severe toy shortage.
“Now more than ever the Toys for Tots program needs your help in bringing hope to our neediest and most vulnerable children,” Col. Mark Delaney, superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, said at a press conference outside the South Boston barracks.
“I think there are families that are struggling that won’t get any toys.”
Delaney said so far this year there are fewer people coming into state police barracks donating toys. The barracks serve as drop-off centers for the U.S. Marine Corps, which distributes the toys to local charities that hand them out to families in need.
Marine Corps Master Sgt. Ron Johnson, coordinator for Toys for Tots program in Middlesex and Essex Counties, estimated that donations this season are down 50 percent from last year.
“We are going through some tough times,” Johnson said, adding that his outfit may have to resort to cutting back on the number of toys each child receives if the present shortfall keeps up.
“Normally we try to give two to three toys per family . . . But right now we may have to cut down to one,” he said. Meanwhile, the demand for toys is expanding as the tanking economy leaves more families strapped for cash and some parents out of work.
Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Michael Kwiecinski, who runs the Greater Boston Toys for Tots program, said last year his unit supplied toys and games to 61,000 children. But so far this year his program has received requests to provide toys to 75,000 kids. Kwiecinski said his initial report of 300,000 requests was an error.
Kwiecinski said cash donations - critical funds that the Marines use to buy discounted toys - are also far below last years levels. “Normally, we would have about $75,000 in donations by now to go out and make toy purchases,” he said, noting that the program now has only $15,000 in cash reserves.
With word spreading of dwindling toy donations, some people have stepped up to help to play Santa to little kids. Richard Rizoli, 54, a private school teacher from Natick, said yesterday he felt compelled to write a $100 check to Toys for Tots, his first donation to the organization, after hearing news reports of the toy shortage.
“If I can make a child’s Christmas brighter, I am happy to do it,” he said.
“Now more than ever the Toys for Tots program needs your help in bringing hope to our neediest and most vulnerable children,” Col. Mark Delaney, superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, said at a press conference outside the South Boston barracks.
“I think there are families that are struggling that won’t get any toys.”
Delaney said so far this year there are fewer people coming into state police barracks donating toys. The barracks serve as drop-off centers for the U.S. Marine Corps, which distributes the toys to local charities that hand them out to families in need.
Marine Corps Master Sgt. Ron Johnson, coordinator for Toys for Tots program in Middlesex and Essex Counties, estimated that donations this season are down 50 percent from last year.
“We are going through some tough times,” Johnson said, adding that his outfit may have to resort to cutting back on the number of toys each child receives if the present shortfall keeps up.
“Normally we try to give two to three toys per family . . . But right now we may have to cut down to one,” he said. Meanwhile, the demand for toys is expanding as the tanking economy leaves more families strapped for cash and some parents out of work.
Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Michael Kwiecinski, who runs the Greater Boston Toys for Tots program, said last year his unit supplied toys and games to 61,000 children. But so far this year his program has received requests to provide toys to 75,000 kids. Kwiecinski said his initial report of 300,000 requests was an error.
Kwiecinski said cash donations - critical funds that the Marines use to buy discounted toys - are also far below last years levels. “Normally, we would have about $75,000 in donations by now to go out and make toy purchases,” he said, noting that the program now has only $15,000 in cash reserves.
With word spreading of dwindling toy donations, some people have stepped up to help to play Santa to little kids. Richard Rizoli, 54, a private school teacher from Natick, said yesterday he felt compelled to write a $100 check to Toys for Tots, his first donation to the organization, after hearing news reports of the toy shortage.
“If I can make a child’s Christmas brighter, I am happy to do it,” he said.
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