“It’s definitely a great opportunity for our cadets to help out and connect with the community and it’s something that we really appreciate,” Spartan Battalion Public Affairs Officer Amanda Dolsen said.

The Toys for Tots Foundation was started in 1947 by the Marines in Los Angeles as a way to give back to the community by repairing toys. Now, they collect new, unwrapped toys to give out to children for the holiday season. U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Staff Sgt. Brandon Hassell said last year that the foundation, which has about 800 locations around the nation, gave out toys to about 5,000 children in the Greater Lansing area.

The toy drive started on Oct. 1 and will go on until Christmas day. The distribution of the toys usually takes place between Dec. 16 to Dec. 19. Salvation Army helps with distributing the toys to the families in need. Churches and hospitals also assist with the distribution.

Dolsen said the ROTC is participating in the drive for the first time, adding that she hopes it becomes a tradition.

Dolsen said the Spartan Battalion will be collecting new, unwrapped toys until the end of the semester on Dec. 13. Donation boxes are located in Demonstration Hall by the main entrance and by the hockey arena.

Hassell, the Lansing coordinator for Toys for Tots, said it was important for him to reach out to those at MSU to give them an opportunity to give back to their community.

“They’re the future of our country,” Hassell said, adding that such a drive brings more people together and makes them aware of their community and the ways they could give back.

“We serve our nation through protecting it, but we still need to make a united front within our country.”

Cadet Battalion S3 Eddy Cadwell said the program is a great opportunity for the less fortunate and is hoping the Spartan Battalion members can gather a large amount of toys for the cause.

“It’s a great foundation and we’re trying to get as many toys as we can,” Cadwell said.