What could have been a major setback for the LHH Helping Hands Toy Drive quickly turned into a show of community support after a fire destroyed thousands of dollars worth of donated toys at LHH Learn and Play in Lehighton.

Within hours of the blaze on Oct. 29, Zion United Church of Christ in Lehighton stepped forward with a $4,000 donation to replace the toys lost in the fire. Additional support poured in from residents, businesses and local organizations determined to keep the Christmas drive on track.

New, unwrapped toys were collected at Lehighton’s final home football game, while the Palmerton Football Parents Club gathered donations during the Palmerton-Jim Thorpe game. Local businesses and community members also organized their own collection efforts.

Among them, a group of area businesses and supporters filled a truckload of toys and delivered them to the Lehighton football game after hearing about the loss. Contributors included Site Auto Glass, Majestic Fire Apparel, CH Price Enterprises, Dr. Michael R. Everett, Tom Zimmerman IV and Breezewood Farms. According to Zimmerman, the group came together after learning the original donations had been destroyed in the fire and wanted to help replenish the drive.

“A friend of mine took over the Friday night football game and the community just blew up; they had an entire box full of toys,” organizer Nicole Collier said. “It was pretty surreal.”

Collier said the support has ensured the toy drive can continue serving local families. More than 200 children are already on the list to receive gifts this Christmas, and donations continue to arrive despite the loss.

“The community has been magical,” Collier said, thanking donors, volunteers, Zion UCC and Behavioral Health Associates for helping both the toy drive and the displaced day care recover.

Friday is the deadline for families to register.

Along with the Lehighton game, the Palmerton Football Parents Club collected toys for Lehighton at the Palmerton-Jim Thorpe game on Oct. 30, alongside its food drive for the Christian Action Council of Palmerton Area Churches.

Collier said the Boatyard Bar & Grill, 251 Canal St., is holding a benefit ride for the toy drive Nov. 21. Registration runs from 10 to 11 a.m.

Collier said the toy drive is in good shape.

The drive began after the Schuylkill-Carbon County Marine Corps said it would no longer be able to conduct the annual toy drive.

Cindy Berger has launched a group resource effort for toys.

She grew up in Palmerton and admitted getting presents through the Toys for Tots program.

“Since then, this has grown into a living Carbon County Christmas Help 2026 resource effort,” Berger said, “with confirmed assistance programs, toy drives, application links, phone numbers, addresses, donation information and updates as new details are verified.”

Berger said that the website, https://carbon-county-christmas-help-2026.netlify.app/ is the link for families to find the latest information in one place, and added she would continue updating the site as programs open, deadlines are announced, collection locations are added, and changes come in.

Collier noted that the Franklin Township Fire Company Auxiliary “immediately offered to use the fire company for our donation pickup day Dec. 6,” she said. “Several local businesses (Lehigh Valley Hospital, Seltzer’s Nursery) reached out right away, which has been fantastic.”

Collier said they have boxes (just like Toys for Tots) for donations drop-off locations at Seltzer’s Landscaping and Nursery, Home Comfort Solutions, The Record Bunker, Sunny Sips, LHH Learn & Play (both locations), The Times News, First Commonwealth Credit Union, Lehighton Police Department, Lehighton Kia, state Rep. Doyle Heffley’s office (both locations), Lehigh Valley Hospital– Carbon and Jim Thorpe Neighborhood Bank in Lehighton.

Collier noted they’re going to be collecting toys for children ages 0 to 16 right up until donation day.

She said the way it will work is parents will come to the Franklin Township Fire Company, receive a ticket and have a select number of toys to pick from depending on how many toys get donated per that particular age group, and then they can go and shop for their own child.

Collier said they are also going to have a stocking station where moms or dads can write their children’s names and various other things to help with Christmas needs.

“I’m hoping that this makes them feel like they have control over a situation that can feel out of control,” she said.

Toy donations can be accepted by emailing or calling Collier at 570-249-8478, and are also being accepted by emailing lhhhelpinghandstoydrive@gmail.com.