Sarasota Sheriff's Office kicks off toy drive Dec. 1

For the ninth year running, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office is sponsoring its holiday-season toy drive, benefiting Teen Court of Sarasota, the All Star Children’s Foundation, the Florida Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office and other organizations.

Beginning Dec. 1, donations can go to two locations: daily between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the agency headquarters at 6010 Cattleridge Blvd. and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at the agency’s South County Office at 4531 Annex Road, Venice. Additionally, people can order toys and gift cards for delivery from the Sheriff’s Office Amazon Wishlist.

The toy drive will provide for children ranging in age from newborn to 18, with a specific request for new, unwrapped toys and gift cards. Clothing or stuffed animals will not be accepted.

Working with the GAL program for the past eight years and partnering with Teen Court of Sarasota and All Star Children’s Foundation for the last three, children in Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto County have benefitted from this toy drive.

“The generosity we see through this toy drive truly reflects the spirit of caring and connection that makes our county special,” Hoffman said. “Providing for multiple organizations and helping bring joy to children in our community is what the holiday season is all about. Each year we are happily surprised that the response gets bigger and bigger.”

In Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties, there are currently more than 1,000 children removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect, and as a result, are part of the GAL program. Support for teens enrolled in Teen Court is the organization’s mission to create a second chance for at-risk youth, and helping them make positive choices through meaningful consequences, peer mentorship, and civic engagement. Finally, All Star Children’s Foundation exists to provide children in foster care with a secure environment where they feel valued, safe, and empowered.