Donated toys going to Mission Arlington Christmas Store
The mission of Arlington ISD’s annual Mission Joy Toy Drive is clear – to turn generosity into smiles, and empty shelves into holiday magic.
From schools and fire stations to businesses and city offices, the community came together this holiday season, filling donation boxes with toys that will soon find their way into the hands of local children and families who need them most.
The toy drive’s finale at the Dr. Marcelo Cavazos Center for Visual and Performing Arts brought the holiday spirit to life with a live CBS broadcast, spirited performances by Thornton Elementary Ballet Folklórico, the Shackelford Junior High Choir, and Lamar High School’s Jazz Band. Plus, there was a surprise visit from Santa and one of his elves, adding even more magic to the night.
This year marked the second year Arlington ISD partnered with Mission Arlington for the Mission Joy Toy Drive – and the impact grew even stronger.
For Mission Arlington director and Burgin Elementary namesake Tillie Burgin, this effort goes far beyond the number of boxes collected.
“What this will do is put toys on the shelves that don’t have toys right now,” she said.
Every toy collected goes straight into the Mission Arlington Christmas store, where families can select gifts for free for their children. Seeing those shelves fill up is always one of Burgin’s favorite parts of the season.
“It’s just a fun time,” she said.
“When these toys go on those shelves, they will put smiles on faces when the parents or kids walk through and shop.”
But it wouldn’t be possible without the support of the entire Arlington community.
“Community is the key word,” said Arlington ISD superintendent Dr. Matt Smith. “The heart of this community tells a story. It’s great to see everything come back together and do something great for kids – that is what Arlington ISD is all about.”
Burgin felt the same way.
“God chose Arlington, Texas, to be a place of love and people’s hearts blending together when they see needs. It’s amazing.”
The toy drive is a community-wide effort led by Arlington ISD in partnership with the City of Arlington, the Arlington Fire Department, the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, and Texas Trust. Financial donations even increased from last year, showing how deeply this partnership continues to resonate with the community.
“I love the Christmas season,” Smith said. “I love the fact that this is so many different groups working together to make it all possible.”
Seeing students around the district each day makes the impact even more meaningful to him.
“I walk through the halls and see our kids all the time, and to know that we can do something like this for them – it’s super special.”
By the end of the event, an entire Mission Arlington truck was filled with boxes of toys, ready to make its way to the store.
Now, as Mission Arlington prepares to welcome families in the coming days, shelves that were once empty will soon be full – full of toys, full of joy, and full of the love this community continues to show.
And that is the story of Mission Joy!
If you didn’t get to participate, it’s not too late to give. You can bring unwrapped gifts to Mission Arlington all the way through Christmas Eve. Donations of wrapping paper and tape are helpful, too.
See more photos from the Mission Joy Toy Drive-thru.