2023 Orange County Fire Authority Spark of Love Toy Drive

The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) is excited to participate in the 2023 Spark of Love Toy Drive, celebrating the 31st anniversary! This toy drive provides toys for thousands of children within the OCFA service area, which includes 23 cities and unincorporated areas. The following Orange County cities have their own fire departments and are not part of the OCFA service area: Anaheim, Brea, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, La Habra, Newport Beach, City of Orange.

This year our goal is to collect 40,000+ toys! We are partnering with KWAVE again, plus 100+ nonprofit organizations. Additionally, 100+ businesses have stepped up to help us collect toys for the many children in need this holiday season.

In 2022, we collected 39,312 toys and $50,000 in monetary donations for children in need. In addition to collecting toys at all 78 of our fire stations, we worked with 155 businesses and organizations within our jurisdiction to collect toys benefitting 117 non-profit agencies. We also held one Stuff-A-Bus event in conjunction with ABC7 and five toy donation events in the community.

Please see the information below if you would like to support this year’s toy drive.

In an effort to gather enough toys to meet the needs of our communities, we have several toy collection opportunities. Starting Friday, November 17, 2023, through Tuesday, December 12, 2023, new, unwrapped toys may be taken to any of the 78 OCFA fire Stations, including OCFA Headquarters (1 Fire Authority Road, Irvine, 92602). If bringing multiple toys, we appreciate toys be placed in bags before arriving at the fire station. To find your closest fire station to donate toys, please use the following link.

Toys may also be brought to any of the following toy collection events we have scheduled throughout Orange County:

• Friday, November 17th, 10am-2pm: Walmart, 951 Avenida Pico, San Clemente, 92673
• Friday, November 17th, 10am-2pm: Walmart, 13331 Beach Blvd, Westminster, 92683
• Saturday, December 2nd, 10am-2pm: Walmart, Buena Park Mall, 8450 La Palma, Buena Park, 90620
• Saturday, December 2nd, 10am-2pm Walmart, 26502 Towne Center Dr, Foothill Ranch, 92610

We encourage all businesses and organizations looking to participate by donating toys towards these efforts to complete the online OCFA Spark of Love form. This allows OCFA to communicate updates, as well as send information for future toy drives. While the deadline to request toy collection materials (boxes, posters) has passed (was 10/14/23), we have a limited number of extra materials. When completed the online form, please check the items you would like. If we can accommodate your request, we will notify you by email and need to pick up items at OCFA Headquarters (1 Fire Authority Road, Irvine, 92602).

The form may be accessed by visiting here.

Once your toy drive is complete, we encourage you to place toys in bags before dropping them off at your local fire station. To find your closest fire station, please use the following link.

Unfortunately, the application window for consideration for non-profits and individuals looking to receive toys has already passed and was Monday, October 9, 2023. We encourage those interested in receiving toys next year to check back in September of 2024 for information on the 2024 application process.

The application process to receive toys, as well as requests from individuals requesting to receive toys, is handled by OCFA Spark of Love Partners, KWAVE. For questions on these items, please contact Eve Tolentino with KWAVE at etolentino@cccm.com

Financial contributions to the Spark of Love Toy Drive will be used to purchase toys for children ages 0-18. These toys will be distributed to non-profits within the OCFA jurisdiction bringing joy to children during the upcoming holiday season. To donate, please call the OCFA Foundation at (714) 573-6000 or visit this link.

If you have further questions please contact Carmen Cardenas, OCFA Education Specialist and this year’s Spark of Love Toy Drive lead at 949-697-4283 or carmencardenas@ocfa.org. Thank you.