Giving Tuesday: ABC7's annual 'Stuff the Truck' event collects toys for less fortunate families

CHICAGO (WLS) -- It's that time of year to get into the holiday spirit and help those in need. The 7th Annual ABC 7 Holiday Toy Drive presented by IHOP is collecting toys until Dec. 15 to help local kids get the joy of Christmas.

Those who would like to donate are encouraged to stop by a local IHOP with a new unwrapped toy to donate. There will be bins prominently displayed to take your donation - and IHOP has a gift for you: for your toy donation you will receive a $5 gift certificate for use in January at participating locations.


Donations go to "Toys For Tots," which provides toys to less fortunate families in our community. Toys For Tots has distributed more than 566 millions toys and supported 258 million children to date since 1947.


For the fourth year in a row we are having a "Stuff the Truck" event on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3, from 4:30 - 9 a.m. at the IHOP in Melrose Park. Tracy Butler and some Marines were LIVE during the morning newscasts, collecting new, unwrapped toys. You can stop by and help us make a child's wish come true this holiday season. Val and Ryan from Windy City LIVE will stop by too!


U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots goal 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."


Participating IHOP locations include:
ADDISON, IL - 1671 W Lake St
AURORA, IL - 583 S. Route 59
AURORA, IL - 2455 N. Augusta
BOLINGBROOK, IL - 730 N. Janes Ave.
BOURBONNAIS, IL - 1347 Kinneman Drive
BRIDGEVIEW,IL - 7240 W 79th Street
BUFFALO GROVE, IL - 51 McHenry Road
CHICAGO, IL - N. Halsted & Broadway
CHICAGO, IL - Cicero Ave., north of Irving Park Rd.

CHICAGO, IL - Diversey Ave., at California
CHICAGO, IL - N. Lincoln Ave., South of Peterson
CHICAGO, IL - On South Cicero, Ford City Mall
CICERO, IL - Target Plaza - Corner of 31st and Cicero Ave.
CRESTWOOD, IL - Cal Sag Rd. and Cicero Ave.
CRYSTAL LAKE, IL - 6606 Northwest Hwy.
DEKALB, IL - 131 N. Annie Glidden Rd.
ELGIN, IL - Lake St. and Randall Rd.
EVANSTON, IL - Asbury, Howard & N. Western Ave.
GLENVIEW, IL - Willow Road, in front of Kohl's
HAMMOND, IN - 938 Indianapolis Ave.
HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL, IL - Barrington Rd., at I-90
JOLIET, IL - Larkin Ave., just south of Theodore
KENOSHA, WI - 7200 75th Street
LANSING, IL - 2430 173rd Street
MATTESON, IL - 20900 Cicero Ave

McHENRY, IL - Rt. 1-20, just west of IL Rt. 31
MELROSE PARK, IL - 1040 W. North Ave.
MERRILLVILLE, IN - E. 79th St., just off Rt. 30 (Costco Plaza)
MICHIGAN CITY, IN - 5225 Franklin St.
MORRIS, IL - I-80 and Rt. 47
NEW LENOX, IL - 411 E. Lincoln Hwy.
NORRIDGE, IL - 7056 West Forest Preserve Dr.
ORLAND PARK IL - La Grange Rd., across from Orland Sq. Mall
OSWEGO, IL - 2850 US Hwy. 34, in front of Home Depot
PERU, IL - 4383 Venture Dr., across from Target
ROSEMONT, IL - 7120 N. Mannheim Rd.
SCHAUMBURG, IL - 1700 E. Higgins Rd.
SKOKIE, IL - Skokie Blvd., south of Golf Rd.
ST. CHARLES, IL - 125 Smith Rd., Corner of Smith Rd. and North Ave.
VERNON HILLS, IL - Milwaukee Ave and Town Line Rd.
WAUKEGAN, IL - 2662 Belvidere Rd.