A group of Los Gatos and Campbell students are collecting new, unwrapped gifts for teens ages 11 and up as well as cash donations to benefit this often underserved age group during the holidays.
Those leading the donation drive, which runs through Dec. 23, belong to an organization called Treasures 4 Teens (T4T), the brainchild of brother and sister Michael and Giverny Daboll, who are students at.
The Dabolls are working with students from the Key clubs, Builders clubs, and Interact clubs at the Campbell and Los Gatos middle and high schools.
The program was created last year after the duo noticed a problem when volunteering at local toy drives—there were never enough gifts for teens, said T4T spokeswoman Karen Daboll.
All donated gifts are distributed to teens in underprivileged families living in Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Monte Sereno, Campbell, and parts of San Jose that have registered with the , according to Daboll.
This year, the program will also serve teens through the West Valley Community Services program, she added.
T4T expects to serve more than 300 teens this year and donation bins will be placed in local schools and businesses where the public can drop off their gifts. Some of the most wanted items teens want include mp3 players, headphones, gift cards ($10 or $20 denominations) to movie theaters, restaurants, or department stores such as Kohl’s, Target, and Wal-Mart.
Other items wanted are craft kits such as model car kits or KLUTZ kits, young adult best selling books, radio-control items, make up, manicure kits, Lego sets, sports balls and family board games for ages 11 and older.
The drop-off locations are:
- Starbucks LG (Los Gatos Boulevard)
- Starbucks LG (N. Santa Cruz Avenue)
- Starbucks, Saratoga (Big Basin Way)
- Toys Toys Toys, 411 East Campbell Ave., in Campbell
- (Monday through Friday)
Also, Treasures 4 Teens representatives will be volunteering to wrap gifts for donations at the Whole Foods Holiday Gift Fair on Los Gatos Boulevard Dec. 3 and on Friday and Saturday afternoons throughout December.
Organization volunteers will also be wrapping at the Barnes & Noble in the Pruneyard on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and some Saturday evenings for donations through Dec. 15.
This year, Treasures 4 Teens is also the recipient of the Los Gatos Whole Foods’ fourth-quarter Nickels for Non-Profits program. From now until Dec. 18, Whole Foods will donate a nickel for each recyclable grocery bag customers bring in when they choose to donate rather than deduct.
T4T volunteers will also be at the Los Gatos and Campbell farmers' markets on Dec. 11, gathering cash donations for the program.
The teens have also implemented a gift card program with local merchants where customers can purchase a $10 gift card at Starbucks (Blossom Hill Road, N. Santa Cruz Avenue, and Big Basin Way) or Jamba Juice (Blossom Hill Road), and donate it on the spot to Treasures 4 Teens.
JJ Magoo’s will host a T4T Benefit Day on Tuesday, Dec. 13 and 20 percent of the day’s profits from customers mentioning Treasures 4 Teens will be donated to the program.
Treasures 4 Teens has also launched a Facebook campaign this year that involves certain businesses in Los Gatos donating $1 for every "like" the page receives. Those participating include The Sereno Group of Los Gatos and Camp BizSmart.
All cash donations are processed through the Campbell Chamber of Commerce, which operates the Campbell Community Toy Program, Kaboll said.
