Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about donating toys, hosting a workplace or school toy drive, volunteering, and requesting toys for a nonprofit organization.
About Joey's Toy Drive
What is Joey's Toy Drive?
Joey's Toy Drive is a volunteer-run organization founded in San Jose in 2012. Each holiday season, we partner with Bay Area businesses, schools, and community groups to collect new, unwrapped toys and distribute them through local nonprofits and social service agencies to children in need in our community.
Who runs Joey's Toy Drive?
The organization was founded by Joey Childs, who serves as Executive Director. Every member of our team is a volunteer.
How is Joey's Toy Drive supported if everyone is a volunteer?
We use space and trucks donated by Silicon Valley Moving & Storage, and local businesses contribute printed materials and supplies through our Operational Needs page.
Donating Toys
Where do I drop off toys?
Find a donation site near you, or bring toys to our office in San Jose, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 4 PM.
What kinds of toys do you accept?
We accept brand new, unwrapped toys, games, books, and sporting goods for children and teens from newborn to age 17. Gifts for older kids and teenagers (ages 12 to 17), such as sports equipment, art kits, board games, backpacks, and headphones, are always in especially high demand.
Why should gifts be left unwrapped?
Leaving gifts unwrapped allows our volunteers and partner agencies to match each toy to the right age group and lets parents choose the right gift for their own child.
Can I donate used toys, clothes, food, or money?
No. To ensure every child opens a brand new gift on Christmas morning, we cannot accept used or open-box toys, and we do not accept clothing, food, or monetary donations.
Can I ship toys or shop online?
Yes. You can order directly from our Amazon Wishlist and your gift will ship straight to our San Jose location, or you can mail new, unwrapped toys to Joey's Toy Drive at 186 Barnard Ave, San Jose, CA 95125.
Can my company or event request a toy pickup?
If your company or event has collected a large donation of new, unwrapped toys, you can request a pickup and our team will coordinate a day with a volunteer driver.
Hosting a Toy Drive
Who can become a Host a Toy Drive partner?
Any local workplace, school, faith community, fire station, club, or local business can host a toy drive. Whether you need a single collection box for a small storefront or dozens of boxes across multiple campuses, we provide everything you need.
When does our toy drive run?
Your toy drive begins the week your collection boxes arrive, which you select when you sign up. It runs until your chosen pickup day, which can be scheduled no later than December 20.
How do we get posters, flyers, or email templates to promote our toy drive?
As soon as you sign up to host, you get access to our Partner Portal. Inside the Materials tab, you can download printable posters and flyers, social media graphics, our official logo, and ready-to-send email templates for your team.
What if our collection boxes fill up before our scheduled pickup day?
Reach out to us through the Partner Portal or our contact page and our team will arrange a resupply delivery with additional empty boxes.
Volunteering & Nonprofit Toy Requests
How do I sign up to volunteer, and is there an age requirement?
You can view open shifts and sign up on our Volunteer page. Volunteers must be 18 or older to participate, and volunteer drivers must be 21 or older.
How can a nonprofit or school request toys for the families it serves?
Local nonprofits, schools, shelters, churches, and social service agencies can apply online through our Toy Requests page. Once submitted, you can check your application status at any time on our Track a Toy Request page.
Still Have a Question?
Get in Touch With Our Team
We read every message and reply as soon as we can.