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Campus-wide Toys for Tots collection delivers smiles across Atlanta

During three weeks in November and December, employees across Emory donated more than 760 items to Toys for Tots, a nationwide program through Marine Corps Reserve that delivers new toys and books to disadvantaged children.

Emory Campus Services has collected toys for the drive for more than 15 years. As Danielle Cannon, a training specialist within the department, says, “Campus Services has always looked for ways to give back to the community with donations and volunteer efforts.”

Cannon co-led the collection with Rey Valdez Jr., a Parking Services employee who also serves as co-chair of the Emory Veterans Employee Network (EVEN).

“This is an important initiative for EVEN because of the veteran connection,” Valdez explains.

Campus Services departments and other divisions across the university — including Transportation and Parking Services, Building and Residential Services, Goizueta Business School, Woodruff Health Sciences Center administration, the School of Medicine and more — participated.

A total of 22 coordinators helped with this year’s effort, with 22 drop-off locations across campus.

Emory partnered on the endeavor with the Atlanta Toys for Tots chapter. Donations were collected and delivered to Toys for Tots for distribution locally.

“I have a background teaching in Title I schools so I know the importance of this initiative and how impactful something as simple as donating a toy can be to a child’s holiday season,” Cannon says.

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