Franklin Police Administrative Assistant Haley Moore, left, and Police Chief Kirby Cochran pose for a photo with toys donated for the department’s annual toy drive, which is accepting donations until Dec. 1.
Submitted photo
Franklin police’s annual toy drive is now underway and bigger than ever.
From now until Dec. 1, residents will be able to drop off new, unwrapped toys and clothing for families in need as part of the Franklin Police Department’s annual toy drive. This year marks the sixth year for the annual drive, which was started in 2018 after Kirby Cochran became police chief.
“When I came here, we’d had got a lot of requests around Christmas time for different types of help for people in the public,” Cochran said. “So we decided to put together an annual toy drive … that would encompass the public and the police department and kind of build on that community partnership culture that we were trying to bring to the police department and the community.”
For the first toy drive in 2018, the department served over 100 families. Since then it’s only grown, he said.
This year’s toy drive marks a new era for the initiative as local business Toodleydoo Toys, along with the Franklin Fire Department, have partnered with FPD to help collect toys. Toys can be dropped off at the police department, Toodleydoo Toys and Franklin fire stations 22 and 23, Cochran said.
“We’re just trying to make it a little bit more convenient for people that may or may not have means of transportation that want to be able to drop off a request for toys, or those that want to drop off toys,” he said.
Franklin police also planning a toy drive outside Walmart for a day, although the exact date has not yet been set. They also plan to have toy drop-off boxes outside Walmart and Meijer, Cochran said.
“The thing that this is all about really is the community and police and fire and local business owners coming together to help make sure that kids in our community have a good Christmas,” he said.
The toy drive is also a great way to help a community in need, especially after the coronavirus pandemic and amid the current economy, Cochran said.
Toodleydoo Toys is thrilled to take part and partner with FPD for the toy drive this year. The store is always looking for opportunities to pair with other organizations in the community to help throughout the year, said owner Debi Pierson.
“A toy drive is obviously a perfect fit for us,” Pierson said.
After looking on social media and listening to community members, there are a lot of people struggling financially right now, Pierson said. People are worried about paying utilities, rent or groceries are already stressed before adding in the stress of shopping for Christmas presents, she said.
“I think the need is going to be greater this year than it has been in the past two or three years,” Pierson said. “And I really am just hoping that when people are doing their own shopping, they’ll take a minute to buy something a little bit extra for the toy drive.”
Along with being a drop-off site for toys, Toodleydoo is also offering 20% off of any toys that people buy in-store or online with the code FPD for the toy drive. Whether the toys are bought online or in-store, Toodleydoo employees will deliver them to the police station or a police employee will come to pick them up, Pierson said.
“[Customers] don’t even have to take it from the store. We’ll handle everything after the purchase,” she said.
On Monday and Tuesday, Toodleydoo held a two-day matching period where the store would make a donation matching the amount spent by people who shopped in-store and online made a purchase. Customers bought $150 worth of toys during the period, so Toodleydoo will donate another $150 worth of toys for a total of $300, Pierson said.
“We’re off to, with our collections, about a $300 start, and we’re excited about that,” she said. “But again, I know that’s a very small drop in the bucket based on what will be needed.”
Once all toys are brought in, the department holds an annual wrapping party where the public comes to the police station to wrap toys with police and firefighters. Food and snacks are provided, Cochran said.
This year’s wrapping party is set for 5:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Franklin Police Department. After the wrapping party, people can pick up gifts from FPD between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, from Dec. 14 to 21.
“We don’t want anyone to feel like these presents are coming from the police department or the fire department,” Cochran said. “They’re coming from the public, so we’d like to have parents be allowed to pick up their family’s gifts and put them under the tree for their kids.”
Toodleydoo also plans to have employees volunteer at the wrapping party because they always do complimentary gift wrapping, Pierson said.
“We’re very fast, efficient, beautiful gift-wrappers. So we’re going to try to put those skills to use as volunteers as well,” she said.
Pierson also looks forward to making Toodleydoo’s partnership with Franklin police an annual tradition, if the department approves, she said.
The register for the toy drive or nominate someone else, people can pick up forms at Toodleydoo Toys, 1 W. Jefferson St., or the Franklin Police Department, 2801 N. Morton St. They can also contact Cochran by emailing [email protected] or by calling 317-346-1101.
An online version of the form is also posted on the Daily Journal’s website at bit.ly/fpd-toy-drive-2023.
Interest forms are due to FPD by 4 p.m. Dec. 6.
WHERE TO DROP OFF DONATIONS
Here’s where donations can be dropped off for the Franklin Police Department’s annual toy drive. Donations are accepted until Dec. 1:
- Franklin Police Department, 2801 N. Morton St.
- ToodleyDoo Toys, 1 W. Jefferson St.
- Franklin Fire Station 22, 1800 Thornburg Lane
- Franklin Fire Station 23, 1150 Sloan Drive
