We’re gearing up for giving at Valley Storage this fall! To support the fantastic communities that our Valley Storage staff calls home, we’ve decided to enlist the help of you, our customers and neighbors, to support two outstanding charities: Toys for Tots and the Berkeley County Humane Society.
Toys for Tots:
We are proud to be participating in this charitable organization, which was approved by the Secretary of Defense in 1995 as an official activity of the U. S. Marine Corps and an official mission of the Marine Corps Reserve.
The Toys for Tots program has been around for quite a long time, beginning in 1947 as a means to collect new and used toys for children at Christmastime. It wasn’t until 1980 that the decision was made to only collect and distribute new toys. The Marines felt that handing out used toys sent the wrong message to children in need, in some way insinuating that they were not worthy of brand new toys. The primary goal of the program is:
“… to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens.”
The Marine Corp felt that a brand new toy, versus a hand-me-down, sent a message of hope to a needy child as well as an increased feeling of self-worth. Although there haven’t been any studies done to compare recipients of toys from Toys for Tots and their levels of self-esteem, ask anyone who has ever volunteered or participated in a Toys for Tots distribution, and they will confirm that it is true. Receiving a gift from a soldier in uniform is a moment that most children will not forget.
Since the beginning, the Marine Toys for Tots Program has distributed over 469 million toys to over 216 million less fortunate children. That is one statistic to be incredibly proud of! If you’d like to brighten a child’s day this holiday season, please drop off a new, unwrapped toy to our office during normal business hours. We thank you in advance for helping us to serve the families of our Hagerstown, MD community!
Berkeley County Humane Society:
Our West Virginia facilities will be conducting a food and supply drive for the furrier family members of our community. The Berkeley County Humane Society, located at 554 Charles Town Road, Martinsburg, WV, works tirelessly to attain their mission statement:
“The Society exists to promote the humane treatment and placement of homeless or unwanted dogs and cats in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia with special emphasis on Berkeley County.”
They are in constant need of the following items:
Bleach (Clorox), Liquid Laundry Detergent, Dish Detergent, Pine Sol, Paper Towels,Trash Bags (13 gals & 39 gal), Cat and Dog Treats, Towels, Blankets, Rugs, Kitten dry (brown only) food, Puppy Chow (brown only), Dry (brown only) Cat & Dog Food, Canned Cat & Dog Food, Cat Litter (non-scoopable type)
If you are so inclined, please drop off your donation in our office the next time you come to visit your storage unit. The four-legged friends of our Martinsburg community will thank you, and so will their families-to-be!