How to Register for Toys for Tots

Santa, toys for tots — Santa stands on a street in New York City collecting for a Toys for Tots program. UKI IWAMURA/AFP via Getty Images

If you're going through a rough time financially, rest assured that there are organizations donating their time and money to ensure your children don't feel deprived during the holiday season. The U.S. Marine Corps collects toy donations from generous citizens across the United States and distributes them to children in need, through a program called "Toys for Tots."

If you would like to register so your children receive gifts, rest assured that signing up online is easy. Ensure that your children have a holiday they'll never forget. Just follow the steps listed below and learn about how you can register for Toys for Tots online.

Go to the website http://www.toysfortots.org/.
Click on the button for Request a Toy, in the top right corner of the screen.
On the next page you'll see a message that says: "Click Here for the Local Chapter Search Tool." Click on it to proceed.
On the Find Your Local Campaign page, choose your state.
Next, choose your city or county. You will be redirected to a Toys for Tots website specific to your region.
Click on the button titled Request a Toy.
Contact your area's coordinator by email, phone call or text, depending on the instructions given for your area on the screen. The website will list the names and contact information of the coordinators. You usually have to live in the area that the local campaign serves.
Some websites will direct you to fill out an online form, rather than calling or emailing.
Remember to include your name, phone number and address. In addition, list how many children you have, their genders and their ages. A coordinator will call you to verify your contact information. The application deadlines vary by city and state. [source: Toys for Tots].

Please note that in many regions, the local Toys for Tots doesn't give toys to individual families, but rather only to agencies like the Salvation Army or United Way. So once you get to the local Toys for Tots page for your area you may be directed to contact a specific nonprofit to request toys.