Toy Bank’s 26th annual event is Dec. 12 at Paso Robles Event Center

PASO ROBLES — The Toy Bank of Greater Paso Robles is gearing up for its 26th annual Day of Giving on Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Paso Robles Event Center.

Twenty-nine-year-old Amanda Bean, who is co-chair of the Toy Bank board and Day of Giving coordinator, says it will be different as many of the events have been due to COVID-19 guidelines.

“This year is a little bit different than we have ever done before. We are making all of the changes we need to make. We just ask that people be patient,” says Bean, who started volunteering with Toy Bank in elementary school when she was in Girl Scouts.

The Toy Bank provides toys, games, playground balls, stuffed animals, books, arts and crafts and more for approximately 1,400 to 1,600 children each year on the Day of Giving. They also partner with The Salvation Army to provide grocery gift cards for families in Paso Robles, San Miguel, Bradley, Creston, Shandon and Heritage Ranch. Unfortunately, Bean says, Coats for Kids will not be part of the Day of Giving this year.

“We anticipate this being a bigger year for us because people’s job situations have changed and the whole economy has changed. Luckily we are prepared for that,” Bean says. “Last year was a pretty big year for us being the 25th anniversary. We were able to have some stuff that we were able to put away for this year, which really worked out.”

Parents or guardians must reside in Paso Robles, Bradley, Creston, Heritage Ranch or San Miguel, and have children from infant to 12 years old to receive assistance.

Toy Bank requires parents and families to register online at prtoybank.org. Registration opens at noon on Nov. 1 and runs through the end of November.

Bean said they require the same documents as in year’s past — parent photo ID, birth certificate for each child, proof of address (such as a utility bill), and proof of income. To make the registration process easier for people, Toy Bank can access previously submitted documents.

“If you registered with us in 2019, we will verify your information with past documentation,” Bean says. “If you are new, you will be required to bring all the required documents, including children’s birth certificates with you on Day of Giving.”

People will receive a time to come to the Day of Giving. They will need to wait in their vehicle until they receive a text message or call to go inside the Frontier Building.

Toy Bank will be consolidating its areas this year. All arts and crafts, board games, and stuffed animals will be pre-bundled with toys in appropriate age groups to help spread everything out and help make sure items are not being touched as much.

This year they will not have a school supplies section or a bike raffle. 

Volunteers and everyone who enters the building will be required to wear face masks and gloves that will be provided at the door along with face masks for those who need them.

As always, Toy Bank will have its donation boxes out in the community. If you cannot shop for a toy, the organization accepts monetary donations and volunteers will buy toys.  

You can donate online at prtoybank.org or send a check payable to:

Toy Bank of Greater Paso Robles, P.O. Box 2801, Paso Robles, CA 93447.

It has been a tough year for many people, and the Toy Bank is grateful to be doing the Day of Giving again.

“We were going to make it happen because the kids need a little bit of cheer,” Bean says.