As the holidays draw near, boxes of donated toys begin to fill with promise, each one carrying a spark of joy for a child in need. For veteran Jenni Maier, it’s more than a holiday tradition; it’s her way of continuing to serve, one gift at a time.
“When a military member is able to give back to the community in any way, there's nothing better,” Maier said.
Jenni served in the Navy for four years as a hospital corpsman, and now, this is her 23rd year helping with Toys for Tots.
As floor coordinator, she works on setting up the Helena Armed Forces Reserve Center. She shares tears of joy with the parents who stop by to pick up gifts, seeing the new impact she’s making on her local community.
It takes hundreds of volunteers to pull off the toy distribution each year, like Jon Moe, who served as a Lance Corporal with the Marine Corps Reserves.
“And this has really turned out to be an important part of my retirement, is the time that I spend with Toys for Tots,” Moe said.
Organizers say many veterans are drawn to helping out Toys for Tots.
“Being able to actually feel like I was serving again, not only as a family member serving, but actually serving myself, you feel like you get that pride back again,” Maier said.
When asking the veterans, helping the families is always the best part.
“It is an opportunity for them to provide for their kids, and we want to make it fun for them to do that,” Maier said.
With over 27,000 toys donated last year to over 3,000 kids, the organization looks for continued support from the community, as the number of families applying for the program is only going up. Over 200 businesses in Helena support Toys for Tots with donation boxes available for drop-offs.
Toys for Tots is accepting donations through December 20th to help families this year. More information about how to donate or volunteer can be found here.
