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Friday, March 29, 2024

From Cambridge’s police and fire departments, Nov. 30, 2015: The police and fire departments seek donations for their annual Secret Santa for Seniors and Toys for Tots gift drives.

Donations for the ninth annual police Secret Santa for Seniors drive will be accepted now through Dec. 18. Gifts can be dropped off in the first floor main lobby of the Robert W. Healy Public Safety Facility at 125 Sixth St., in East Cambridge near Kendall Square, or on the first floor at City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square.

Last year’s Secret Santa for Seniors drive was the most successful yet, as more than 500 senior citizens got holiday gift bags due to the support from the community. Cambridge Police are looking to bring cheer to even more senior citizens this year.

The following suggested items – unwrapped – would be greatly appreciated: food (such as chocolate, tea, jams, crackers and hard candy); socks; slippers; hats; gloves; blankets; bathrobes; local sports team items; lip balm; cough drops; and gift cards.

Police are also seeking volunteers to hand-deliver gift bags to the seniors on the morning of Dec 24.

For information or to volunteer, call Sgt. Kale, Officer Burroso or Matt Nelson at (617) 349-9354 or send email to [email protected].

The Cambridge Fire Department and Firefighters Local 30 IAFF are partnering with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve to collect toys in an annual Toys for Tots drive. Now in its 68th year, the program was started in Los Angeles when a handful of Marine Reservists distributed 5,000 toys to needy children on Christmas Eve in 1947.

New, unwrapped toys may be dropped off at any Cambridge fire station beginning through Dec 10. (Donations of money can be made via the Toys for Tots website.) Since its inception, more than 230 million needy children throughout the country have benefited from the donation of more than 494 million toys.

For information, call Assistant Chief Gerard Mahoney at (617) 349-4970 or visit the Cambridge Fire Department website.