Mayor Kraham partnered with Foam It Insulation to host a "Fill the Trolley" Toy Drive at Recreation Park today, collecting new, unwrapped toys to benefit Broome County Toys for Tots. Donations were loaded onto a green trolley owned by Foam It Insulation and delivered to the Toys for Tots headquarters after the event.

"For many families in our community, having just a few extra dollars to buy a Christmas gift or holiday meals and everything is a real struggle," Mayor Kraham said. "And so these types of events just help people get over the hump, just have a few nice things for their kids, because we know that when you're living paycheck to paycheck, the thought of going to the mall or going to a chain store and spending a few hundred dollars on just Christmas gifts is just not a reality for many people in our community."

Toys for Tots, a program run by local law enforcement agencies, collects toys to help local families in need provide gifts for their children during the holidays.

"A key part of being in law enforcement is community engagement and community policing," Mayor Kraham said. "Having residents interact with members of the Binghamton Police Department and not them responding to calls in their neighborhood, but having a fun volunteer activity, it's all part of building trust. It's all part of having police interact with people, again, outside of law enforcement activity."

Jonny Norton, owner of Foam It Insulation, said the idea for the toy drive came from one of his employees, who reached out to Toys for Tots and the City of Binghamton to organize the event.

"It's very important to give back to the community," Norton said. "We're a very oriented community company. We just love helping our community because they help us and, what's better than Toys for Tots for the children and have everybody be magical in Christmas time."

The toy drive was a success, with many donations pouring in throughout the day.

"The trolley is almost full already. It's just touching that there's so many people that are donating," Norton said midway through the event.

Looking ahead, Norton hopes that the toy drive will become an annual tradition, creating a lasting impact for local families in need.