Dec 15, 20232 min read

Highlights: Oakland's 2023 Toys for Tots Event!

Updated: Dec 16, 2023

Oakland Chamber of Commerce’s Toys for Tots collection was a huge success this year, bringing in 4,637 gifts for children in need this holiday season. We are thrilled to have had as much support from our business partners, schools, and community that we did in the collection. Thank you to all, this was a huge team effort! Check out our photo gallery below!

Operation Toy Train rolled into Bush Plaza delivering Santa Claus to a beautiful turn out of neighbors, community members and business owners. As teams of people, including our local Girl Scout and Boy Scout Troops, assisted the Marine Corps Reserve and Operation Toy Train volunteers in loading up the boxed toys onto the train, Emily Kern Photography snapped photographs of Santa with the crowd of children and families lined up to greet him.

Val Tramontozzi of Keller Williams Prosperity assembled and handed out gift bags to visitors filled with goodies from local businesses including coupons to Oakland favorites French Oak Bar & Grill and Real Brave, with cookies donated by Goodie Girl and Reindeer Food from Susan Didonato of KW Prosperity, with many more gifts from our OCoC businesses completing the bags. Food for the event was provided by Oakland Public Events, organizing the abundance of hot dogs from Mike’s Dog House and delicious coffee and hot chocolate from Coffee Roasters.

This day could not happen without our Director of the Toys for Tots initiative, Soccer Shots Bergen and Passaic owner, Marc Fox. He has helped grow this event from 8 people attending the 1st train stop in 2012 to the block party type event we have now bringing the community together to help those in need. Marc says, “It’s amazing how the town, Chamber, community and volunteers come together with an amazing outpouring of love and support. It’s very appreciated.” The Chamber would also like to express a sincere thank you to the ever-helpful Oakland Fire Department as well as Lawn Doctor for assisting in the collecting and organizing of all the toys collected.

The Oakland Chamber of Commerce looks forward to more events for worthy causes and bringing the holiday spirit back to Bush Plaza next year!

Thank you to the following businesses for your support:

Andrea Levy - Keller Williams Prosperity

Apex Wrestling School - Mahwah

Bagel Supreme of Oakland

Barre3 - Franklin Lakes

Betti Russo - Keller Williams Prosperity

Cenzinos Ristorante

Columbia Bank

Crystal Lake Community Beach

Dance Theatre of NJ

Dunkin Donuts - Franklin Lakes