The Marines Toys for Tots campaign on Oahu has received an influx of requests for toys this holiday season as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a toll on many families.

Families are struggling, said coordinator Gunnery Sgt. Jonathan Ibarra. But with the increased requests, the campaign has also faced delayed shipment of toys from the mainland and fewer participants hosting drop-off sites.

In 2020, the campaign collected more than 21,000 toys that were distributed to more than 16,000 children on the island. This year, there are requests for toys for more than 19,000 children as of Thursday. The requests come either directly from families facing financial challenges or from community agencies that help families.

Ibarra said they generally receive a shipment of toys prior to the start of the campaign to help kick off of the drive, which this year launched in early October.

For the 2020 Toys for Tots campaign, the shipment arrived in August. Due to shipping delays worldwide in recent months, a shipping container filled with toys for this year’s distribution just arrived Thursday morning from Cincinnati, Ohio, putting volunteers on a time crunch to sort and organize the toys by age and gender, Ibarra said.

Even so, Ibarra is confident the campaign will meet its goals to fulfill toy requests from families. “I’m not worried about meeting our mission because I know the community” will support the effort, he said. Social providers, church groups and various agencies help Toys for Tots volunteers with distributing the toys, books, bikes and other gifts to youth on Oahu.

There are drop-off sites for new, unwrapped toys throughout the island. The deadline to donate toys is Dec. 17.

Ibarra noted that while toys are being collected for youth all ages, the campaign is seeing a short supply of gifts for two age groups: newborn to age 2 and age 11 to 17.

People don’t think about the 15-year-olds, he said, and suggested that donations for teens could include water bottles, sports gear, backpacks and earphones.

Donations of toys for the annual Marine Toys for Tots campaign on Oahu, coordinated by Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay, are now being accepted. Gifts may be dropped off at most sites by Dec. 17.

To view the list of toy donation drop-off sites, visit: 808ne.ws/toysfortotsoahu.

To make a monetary donation, go to: 808ne.ws/toysfortotsoahudonation.