How is Nevada Outreach partnering with Toys for Tots for Christmas?

The holiday season is supposed to be one of great joy, full of delighted laughter, family gatherings and fun times with friends - but for parents struggling to make ends meet, it’s not always the most wonderful time of the year. Worrying about providing a Christmas for their children when faced with financial challenges can be an extraordinarily anxiety-inducing experience.

Here in the Pahrump Valley, however, families don’t have to shoulder these struggles alone. Parents have several organizations they can turn to for assistance .

One such group is the Nevada Outreach Training Organization (NOTO), a nonprofit that has partnered with the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program to help distribute holiday magic to those in Nye County communities.

Items donated in the iconic Toys for Tots boxes that can be found all throughout town during the holiday months will be divvied up, with some going to NOTO for its annual Christmas gift “shopping” event.

At this event, parents are able to stop by the NOTO office and browse through a huge array of gifts, so they can select ones that are perfect for their own children.

There are no income requirements for the program but participants must be residents of Nye County.

“We’ve been working with the Marines Toys for Tots for over 10 years,” NOTO’s Kathie McKenna told the Pahrump Valley Times.

“Many of our children in the community would not receive Christmas gifts if it was not for this program. Last year we distributed over 1,000 toys for Pahrump and over 250 toys for Tonopah, Gabbs, Amargosa and Goldfield.”

And while the Marines Toys for Tots haul in a major part of NOTO’s annual shopping event, many others contribute each year, too.

The shopping days this year will open at 8:30 a.m. but McKenna noted that parents are often on site much earlier to await their chance to select some toys.

“Hot chocolate is given out in the morning as people start lining up as early as 5 a.m. to pick out the toys for their children. And children are not allowed in, as we want the children to be surprised at Christmas with the toys their parents give them,” McKenna added.

“In the past we have had large gifts such as bikes and skateboards with helmets that are randomly given throughout the day as well as, since we do not always have enough for everyone to get one.”

NOTO is now taking sign-ups for its 2025 Toys for Tots Christmas gift shopping days. Residents can drop by the office at 621 S. Blagg Street and fill out a registration slip or call 775-751-1118 extension 113 to be added to the list.

“Please leave the parent’s name and phone number, the ages of the children and whether they are boys or girls,” NOTO advises. “Pick-up days will be on Wednesday, December 17 and Thursday, December 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please make sure to shop under the same name as the family is registered.

A Nye County ID or recent bill with a Nye County address in your registered name is required at time of pick-up.”

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com