‘We ran out of toys:’ Local toy drive says need is especially high this holiday season
Posted Dec 19, 2025 05:53:01 AM.
Last Updated Jan 5, 2026 11:36:37 AM.
It’s a massive effort every year, and December 2025 is no different.
Families were lining down the street in Waterloo this month, in need of something to put under the Christmas Tree this year.
Those families were supported by the Waterloo Knights of Columbus ‘New Toys for Needy Kids Toy Drive.’
“I’ve never seen a start like we’ve had this year,” said Marketing and Facilities Manager Martin Hickey.
“We actually ran out of toys in certain age groups, and we actually had to go out and buy toys, thank god that we had the money to do that through the donations from the good folks in the region … We were able to take care of a full week where we just didn’t have toys for (ages) 13 through 9.”
It’s the 29th year for the annual toy drive, which started with a humble collection of 150-175 toys in its first year. Since then, the program and the need have grown significantly
“We’ve got so many more folks coming in,” added Hickey. “The folks come in off the street, they’ve been lined up out to the street to pick up their toys in very inclement weather, but they do it.”
Friday, the local effort is known as the largest toy drive in southwestern Ontario, collecting and distributing more than $6 million in gifts and donations to date.
Hickey said from a council standpoint, the Knights of Columbus council is the largest in North America that does a toy drive.
A big help over the hurdle this year came from the Waterloo Regional Police Service Stuff-a-Cruiser campaign.
‘They just cleaned house this weekend for us. We received 6,200 toys between Saturday and Sunday through the Stuff-a-Cruiser program. It has taken us over the hump; it has now put us in shape to finish the year off strongly.”
Donations can still be dropped off at any police division by Tuesday, December 23.
Details on other ways to help can be found on the Waterloo Knights of Columbus website.
