San Bernardino County toy drive for troops' families

San Bernardino County unveiled a plan this week to partner with Yellow Ribbon of America to collect holiday gifts for troops and their families.

The County Department of Veterans Affairs will work with the nonprofit group to collect and distribute holiday gifts in a repeat of last year's operation, which successfully collected about 50,000 items.

Although gifts will again be collected for troops this year, the focus will be on collecting gifts for the children and families of the troops.

The San Bernardino County Department of Veterans Affairs will coordinate the collections, and individual County department heads will work with their employees to collect items.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is placing collection boxes at County fire stations, branch libraries and other County offices. Suggested donations include pre-paid phone cards, gift cards and new, unwrapped toys.

Yellow Ribbon of America will collect the care packages and distribute them to families the group has been providing holiday care packages to the troops and their families since 2004.
While most items collected will be distributed to military families, the County will work with Touch of Home Support 4R Deployed Military - a nonprofit in Crestline - to send any donated comfort items such as hygiene products, snacks, books, and magazines to local troops serving overseas.