Mall of America® helps deliver hope this holiday season by hosting the Marine Toys for Tots annual toy drive

Mall of America kicks off the holiday toy drive by donating nearly 400 toys

BLOOMINGTON, MN — November 14, 2023

This holiday season, Mall of America® is thrilled to be the Toys for Tots Twin Cities official headquarters and primary donation site. Guests can make a difference in the lives of thousands of children both in our community and nationwide by helping Toys for Tots achieve their goal of collecting 300,000 toys in the Twin Cities over the next five weeks. Mall of America helped get the toy drive started by donating nearly 400 toys.

The Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots donation site will be set up at Mall of America in the Southeast Court on Level 1, near L.L. Bean and Forever 21. Members of the Marine Corps Reserve will be stationed at the donation site eagerly waiting to collect donated toys from guests now through December 18. Along with being a donation site, Toys for Tots will also have a space at Mall of America to use as their warehouse and headquarters. 

Toys for Tots is looking to collect new and unwrapped toys, books, and educational materials. Once a donation is collected in SE Court, it will make its way to be properly stored until it is time to be sorted and prepared for delivery on Christmas. Once the collection window has closed for the season, Toys for Tots coordinators will work with various community partners to distribute gifts to more than 200 local organizations for kids to receive on Christmas Day.

“Here at Mall of America, we are all about creating meaningful moments all year round, but especially during the holiday season,” said Jill Renslow, Chief Business Development & Marketing Officer at Mall of America. “Toys for Tots holds a special place in many of our hearts as they serve an incredible mission and have countless heartwarming stories. As we welcome Toys for Tots Twin Cities to Mall of America, we are donating nearly 400 toys as a gesture of gratitude for this exceptional organization and to help make a difference within the community we love.”

The success of the campaign depends on the support and generosity of the local Twin Cities community and Mall of America visitors. To add even more convenience for shoppers, multiple retailers at Mall of America will have Toys for Tots collection boxes.  Additionally, a drive-up vehicle drop-off location will be available Monday – Sunday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. in the Southeast parking lot outside of L.L. Bean.

“A toy is a symbol of hope,” said SSgt Tyree Stevens, Program Coordinator for Toys for Tots Twin Cities. “These are more than just toys delivered to children, it is love and compassion. This act of kindness shows kids in need within our community that we care about them, and we want to make their holiday a little brighter.”

Toys for Tots is a recognized non-profit organization that is on a mission to unite local communities for a common cause each year during their annual toy drive. Over the past 76 years, the United States Marine Corps has distributed over 652 million toys to more than 290 million children nationwide. In 2022, Toys for Tots Twin Cities collected and distributed nearly 233,000 toys which resulted in supporting over 190,000 less fortunate Minnesotan children.

For more information on Toys for Tots Twin Cities or to donate online, please visit Home - Toys for Tots.

For more information on the Mall of America donation site, please visit Toys for Tots | Mall of America®.

 

ABOUT MALL OF AMERICA

At 5.6 million square feet, Mall of America is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America with up to 520 world-class retail stores and restaurants; Nickelodeon Universe, a 7-acre indoor theme park; SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium; FlyOver America; Crayola Experience; and more. The Mall opened in 1992 and is located in Bloomington, Minn., minutes from downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul and adjacent to MSP International Airport. Follow Mall of America on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Download the Mall of America app from the App Store for iOS or Google Play for Android.

 

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