Los Gatos Teen Toy Drive Returns

The Los Gatos-based Treasures 4 Teens organization is at it again. Its annual donation drive runs through Dec. 14 and organizers are hoping the community will give new, unwrapped gifts for teens ages 11 and up as well as cash gifts.

The program was launched in 2010 by Los Gatos siblings Michael and Giverny Daboll, who are working with student volunteers from the Raymond J. Fisher Middle School Builders Club, and the Interact Club and Key Club at Los Gatos High School to collect the donations.

The drive was created in response to a problem the Dabolls noticed when volunteering at local toy drives—there were never enough gifts for teens.

Donations are distributed to teens in underprivileged families living in Los Gatos, Saratoga, Monte Sereno, Campbell, and San Jose that have registered with the Campbell Community Toy Program, as well as families registered with the West Valley Community Services program.

T4T expects to serve as many as 450 teens this year.

"The best part of doing this is seeing how much our community is wiling to care,” said Michael, 15. 

Giverny, 17, added: “We really want to try to make these kids happy, so we don’t want to give gifts that we wouldn’t want to receive. That means we have to raise enough funds to be able to buy quality gifts."

Last year, the most popular items donated were remote-control helicopters, make-up kits, skateboards, body lotion sets with purses, mp3 players, Klutz kits, Justin Bieber watches, table top foosball and air hockey games, and gift cards, Giverny said.

The drop-off locations are:

• Los Gatos Farmers' Market on Dec. 9 
• Los Gatos Children's Christmas and Holidays Parade on Dec. 1 in front of Chicago Steak And Fish on N. Santa Cruz Ave. 
• Los Gatos Whole Foods Market’s 5 Percent Community Day Dec. 4. The store will donate 5 percent of the entire day’s proceeds to T4T.
• The Wooden Horse in Los Gatos is accepting donations of new board games and crafts for teens, and is offering a 15 percent discount on all purchases for donation.
• Barnes & Noble at the Pruneyard is accepting donations of new books for children and teens served by the Campbell Community Toy Program and T4T.
• Additional donation bins will be placed in local schools and businesses.
• Affordable Treasures
• Los Gatos High School
• Fisher Middle School

T4T is running a Facebook campaign again this year. For each individual who “likes” T4T on Facebook, sponsors including The Sereno Group of Los Gatos will donate $1 to T4T.

Like T4T at www.facebook.com/treasures4teens. If you are willing to become a Facebook sponsor for Treasures 4 Teens, contact the Daboll kids at info@treasures4teens.com.

Tax-deductible donations may be made directly on the program’s website at www.treasures4teens.com or mailed to the program at 103 Forrester Court, Los Gatos, 95032.

T4T thanked Drs. Hall and Burnett and Kultz® for stepping up early and generously donating to the program for the second year in a row, and the Los Gatos Lions Club and Von Kaenel Real Estate Services for being new supporters of the program this year.

All cash donations are processed through the program’s fiscal sponsor, Catalyst for Youth, Inc., a public charity and educational non-profit serving teens and young adults, and will be used to purchase brand new holiday gifts for local, needy teens.