Isiah Christie 
The importance of giving to others is a year-round message, but with plenty of upcoming holidays, it’s a great gesture to prioritize. Opportunities to strengthen our communities during this thoughtful season are plentiful, with so many events, and The Local Girl has compiled a list of them. Read on to learn about holiday volunteering opportunities + toy drives in New Jersey for December 2025.
Hudson County
Hoboken Community Center Annual Holiday Market | 311 Harrison Street, Hoboken
View this post on Instagram
Tuesday, December 9th | 10:00AM–2:00PM
Hoboken Community Center is accepting donations until December 9th for their upcoming holiday market, with an undecided event date. Encouraged items include toys, games, books, beauty + grooming accessories, and cozy winter clothing.
Hoboken Community Center’s wishlist for the event can be found here.
Read More: Places Around New Jersey to Get Your Pets Photo Taken with Santa this Holiday Season
Hoboken Grace Community Church Christmas Exchange | 409 14th Street, Hoboken
Saturday, December 13th
Hoboken Grace Community Church is hosting a gift exchange open to donations. Gifts will be given to children ages 17 and below in Hoboken, and participants will be issued a wish list to help determine gifts. Gift drop-offs will be accepted in person at the church.
To donate, visit here.
Hoboken Housing Authority & FamilyHood’s Winter Wonderland | 311 Harrison Street, Hoboken
Saturday, December 13th | 4:00PM–7:00PM
This pop-up event will feature music, performing arts, food, and gift drives. Hoboken Housing Authority + FamilyHood are accepting donations, volunteers, and performers for the event, and toys will be distributed to children of all ages.
JCMusicScene Holiday Benefit Concert | 150 Bay Street, Jersey City
Sunday, December 14th | 1:00PM–7:00PM
JC Music Scene is hosting a holiday drive pop-up and concert that will include Toys for Tots collecting and distribution, vendor shopping opportunities, and live music performances. Vendors will open at 1:00 PM, and the performances will begin at 2:00 PM. Donations are welcome and will go to The Boys and Girls Club of Hudson County.
Jersey City’s 29th Annual Toy Drive | 280 Grove Street, Jersey City
Thursday, December 18th | 4:00PM
The Jersey City Resident Response Center is accepting toy donations for children in Jersey City. Donated items must be new + unwrapped and are intended for children between the ages of 1 and 12 years old.
Donations must be brought to the Resident Response Center in person and interested recipients can apply here.
2025 New Jersey Toys for Tots Campaign | 2211 Kerrigan Avenue, Union City
View this post on Instagram
Donation Deadline | Saturday, December 20th
Out Montclair, Weichert Realtors, Montclair Diner, and the Montclair Firefighters Foundation are teaming up to give back to the community. New toys for local children aged 2 to 16 are accepted until December 12th, and distribution will take place on December 13th.
For more information, participants are recommended to contact Montclair Mutual Aid at [email protected].
NJ Reentry Corporation Christmas Toy Giveaway | 195 Campus Drive, Kearny
Tuesday, December 23rd | 11AM
Essex County
FSOEC Toy and Food Drive | 60 Evergreen Place, East Orange
Saturday, December 6th | 10:00AM–2:00PM
Family Support Organization of Essex County (FSOEC) is accepting toy and food donations for their 2nd annual holiday drive. Toys are intended for children aged 3 to 12 years old.
Montclair Township Winter Snowflake Spectacular | 205 Claremont Avenue, Montclair
Saturday, December 6th | 1:00PM–4:00PM
Hosted at Edgemont Park, Montclair Township will host its annual event featuring holiday music, children’s activities, face painting, photos with Santa, and gifts. To write a letter to Santa or discuss volunteering interest, interested participants are encouraged to email [email protected].
Montclair 2025 Holiday Toy Drive | 272 Bellevue Avenue, Upper Montclair
View this post on Instagram
Saturday, December 13th
Out Montclair, Weichert Realtors, Montclair Diner, and the Montclair Firefighters Foundation are teaming up to give back to the community. New toys for local children aged 2 to 16 are accepted until December 12th, and toy distribution will take place on December 13th.
For more information, participants are recommended to contact Montclair Mutual Aid at [email protected].
CASA Holiday Gift Drive 2025 | 205 Claremont Avenue, Montclair
Donation Deadline | Monday, December 15th
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children of Essex County is accepting donations for children in the foster care system. Donations will be distributed to recipients by the holidays, and participants are encouraged to visit www.casaessex.org for further information and opportunities for involvement.
To view CASA’s donation wishlist, visit here.
Bergen County
Bergen County Chanukah Toy Drive | 3 University Plaza Drive, Suite 300, Hackensack
Donation Deadline | Monday, December 1st
The Bergen County Chanukah Toy Drive is accepting unwrapped toys and gifts as donations for children and teens in the community. Participants are encouraged to drop items off at their local school as part of the event and contact [email protected] for further inquiries.
The toy drive has multiple wishlists available for browsing, including Amazon, Target, and Walmart. To view them, click here.
2025 Bergen’s Promise Holiday Toy Drive | 3 University Plaza Drive, Suite 300, Hackensack
Donation Deadline | Monday, December 8th
Hosted by the non-profit organization Bergen’s Promise, this toy drive directly supports families in need of gifts for the holiday season. Donations are valued at $25 per child and can be dropped off until Saturday, December 8th.
Fair Lawn Police Toy Drive | 8-01 Fair Lawn Avenue, Fair Lawn
Donation Deadline | Monday, December 8th
This collaborative toy drive, hosted by multiple Bergen County police departments, benefits children in need. The drive will accept unwrapped toys.
Drop-off locations are as follows:
- Fair Lawn Police Headquarters, 8-01 Fair Lawn Avenue
- Radburn Exxon, 22-00 Fair Lawn Avenue
- Ness Pizza, 11-14 Saddle River Road
- Luca’s Deli, 6-03 Saddle River Road
- Beyond Hair, 6-09 Saddle River Road
- Retro Fitness, 18-01 Pollitt Drive
Bergen County 2025 Holiday Project | 1 Bergen County Plaza, Hackensack
Donation Deadline | Monday, December 15th
This donation initiative will benefit children aged 13 and under, providing holiday gifts to local children in need. Frequently requested items include gift cards, clothing, plush toys, art supplies, books, sports equipment, and puzzles. Gift collection bins will be located at the entrance of One Bergen County Plaza.
Fork It Let’s Spoon Bergen County Toy Drive | November 2025
View this post on Instagram
Fork It Let’s Spoon is partnering with several other North Jersey organizations to conduct a month-long toy drive to benefit Tomorrow’s Children Fund. There are six drop-off locations for new, unwrapped toys located throughout Bergen County.
Police Department Toy Drive | 55 Sycamore Avenue, Ho-Ho-Kus
Donation Deadline | Wednesday, December 17th
Ho-Ho-Kus’ police department is accepting unwrapped toys at their station until December 17th. The department will also be present at the city’s Annual Holiday Tree Lighting with festive treats for participants. Donations will go to local hospitals and military families.
See More: Montclair Winter Wonderland Returns to Wellmont Plaza on 11/29
Follow @thehobokengirl on Instagram + TikTok for the latest Hoboken and Jersey City updates, sign up for our weekly newsletter here that shares everything you missed each week, and check out our events calendar, which has over 100+ events weekly to peruse.
