By: Anne Kaiser
Since its inception in 1947, Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots has been proud to distribute new, unwrapped toys to children who might otherwise not have access to these special holiday surprises. The organization typically collects toys during the pre-holiday season (often October, November and December) in communities throughout the United States at over 800 different sites.
While the toys collected through the Toys for Tots program generally are geared towards children up to the age of 12, teenagers may also benefit from the donated items, and enjoy gifts with functional purpose such as purses and backpacks, sports equipment or balls, as well as other recreational items such as board games.
Locally, the Hampton Inn & Suites at 6901 South 76th Street in Franklin, Wisconsin, has been a proud seasonal collection site for Toys for Tots donations since October 2017. Hotel General Manager/Director of Sales Jeff Calimlim is pleased to have initiated this connection, one that he continues to facilitate. The donation spot at the Hampton Inn and & Suites is typically set up in November and continues to receive donations through the first week of December.
In his work, Calimlim is inspired to give back to the community and be “a man for others.” These guiding principles motivated his desire to establish the Hampton Inn & Suites in Franklin as a donation site for Toys for Tots. He noted, “…As we work in hospitality, we provide a service to our guests, and I wanted to help other nonprofit organizations to give the same thought and feeling.”
Calimlim said that popular Toys for Tots donation items at his hotel have included books, dolls, action figures, and electronic toys. As is consistent with the general Toys for Tots donation guidelines, most of the items he sees are most appropriate for children ages 1-12. “Franklin residents are very generous in their giving, and it shows,” Calimlim said. “One year, we had about eight boxes of toys to donate.”
The toys that are donated are then gifted to children throughout Southeastern Wisconsin who “are less fortunate and are in need of receiving a toy during the Christmas holidays,” according to Calimlim. He explained, “We have had organizations that have brought many bags of toys each year to lend a hand and provide multiple options for various age groups and toy selections, and they wanted to give back to the community.”
Calimlim emphasized that he feels that Toys for Tots is “a great organization to help. I would recommend this for helping nonprofit organizations out, especially during the holiday season.”
This article is from the EY January 2026 Issue