Once again, ReStore joined forces with several other community organizations to be a part of the Elgin Community Holiday Toy Giveaway, which collects toys for area families in need. The agencies coordinating the toy drive are Community Crisis Center, Grand Victoria Casino Foundation, City of Elgin, Fox Valley Kiwanis Club, Elgin Rope Officers, Golden K Kiwanis, Centro de Informacion, Elgin Township, Girl Scouts Sybaquay Council and National-Louis University. ReStore will be one of three toy dropoff locations.

During the past decade, this community-sponsored event has given thousands of toys to Elgin area children. Last year, organizers collected new toys and monies allowing the distribution of more than 6,000 toys to 2,700 children and nearly 1,000 families. It is anticipated that there will be at least the same numbers this year.

The Elgin Community Toy Giveaway will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17 in the lower level of the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin.

ReStore is hoping to collect at least 500 toys during this toy drive. ReStore will be accepting donations of new unwrapped toys starting Nov. 27 to Dec. 12 during open hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Toys should be in value of between $5-$25. Toys will also be collected from Dec. 1-16 at two other drop off locations, which are the Grand Victoria Pavilion, 250 S. Grove Ave., and the Elgin Township offices, 729 S. McLean Blvd. Contact them for dropoff hours.

Because ReStore values contributions to this important community holiday event, those who drop off toys at ReStore, will receive a 10 percent off coupon for their total purchase that day at ReStore. The toy has to have a minimum value of $5.

Donations from the community are invaluable to the Elgin Community Holiday Toy Giveaway. ReStore accepts donated new and gently used home improvement and building materials and re-sells them at a fraction of retail prices. The funds generated go toward Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley's home building program while reducing the amount of building materials that would otherwise go to overflowing landfills. To date, ReStore has raised enough funds to build 15 homes and estimates that it has diverted 2,000 tons of material from landfills.