Toy Drives in Sussex County NJ 2026: Where to Donate

The biggest toy drives in Sussex County NJ for 2026 are Project Self-Sufficiency’s Season of Hope drive in Newton, Project Help’s veteran family toy drive in Sussex borough and the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots campaign, which has drop boxes in Newton, Hamburg, Ogdensburg and Sparta. Our team confirmed every drive below on the organizer’s own website, including what to give and where to drop it off.

New, unwrapped toys are the most common ask, but several of these drives also need gift cards, teen gifts and wrapping supplies. Here is where to donate in Sussex County this holiday season.

At a Glance

• Season of Hope (Project Self-Sufficiency): drop off at 127 Mill Street, Newton, through mid-December
• Project Help Veteran Toy Drive: 55 Bank Street, Sussex, donations due by December 11, 2026
• Toys for Tots (Dover NJ campaign): drop boxes in Newton, Hamburg, Ogdensburg and Sparta
• Operation Toy Train: Saturday, December 12, 2026, with stops in Sparta, Franklin and Vernon
• Junior Woman’s Club of Sparta Wish Tree: usually late November into December, check the club’s site
• Off Shore Marine Stuff the Boat: usually held in December in Branchville, check the dealership’s site

Toy Drives in Sussex County With 2026 Dates

1. Season of Hope Holiday Toy Drive, Project Self-Sufficiency

The Season of Hope drive is the county’s largest. Project Self-Sufficiency kicked off its 2026 drive on October 23 and expects to serve more than 2,200 children in Sussex and northern Warren counties this year. It is collecting new, unwrapped toys, gift cards and monetary donations, plus gift wrap, ribbons, gift bags and boxes. The nonprofit asks donors to skip soft items like stuffed animals, blankets and pillows. Gifts go to the Season of Hope Toy Shop in December, where parents pick out gifts for their own children.

• Address: 127 Mill Street, Newton
• Dates: Now through the middle of December 2026, with toys and gift cards needed by early December
• Drop-off: Monday to Friday; call ahead to confirm hours
• Families who need help: register in person November 9 to 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Thursday, November 12 until 7 p.m.) and Saturday, November 14 from 9 a.m. to noon. Bring proof of Sussex or northern Warren residence and a document for each child. No income documents are needed.
• Contact: 973-940-3500
• Website: Project Self-Sufficiency Holiday Toy Drive

Read our full guide to the Season of Hope Toy Drive 2026 for the gift list and school contest.

2. Project Help 2026 Veteran Toy Drive

Project Help is an all-volunteer nonprofit that supports veterans, and its holiday drive collects new, unwrapped toys and gifts for children from infants to age 16 in veteran and military families. Businesses and groups can host a collection or sponsor the drive. Project Help is also running a Veteran Clothing Drive from November 1 to December 10, 2026, at the same address.

• Address: 55 Bank Street, Sussex
• Dates: Donations due on or before December 11, 2026
• Drop-off: Shipping to the address is welcome; for large deliveries, call to set a time
• Contact: 973-875-2068
• Website: Project Help Veteran Toy Drive

3. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots, Dover NJ Campaign

Sussex County is served by the Dover NJ Toys for Tots campaign, which covers northern Bergen, Essex, Morris, Sussex and Warren counties. The 2026 campaign began on October 1. Toys for Tots asks for new toys in their original packaging and not gift-wrapped. The family request window closed October 31, and families request help through an approved local nonprofit.

• Sussex County drop sites: Coldwell Banker Realty Elevate, 253 Newton Sparta Road, Newton; Columbia Self Storage, 3490 Route 94, Hamburg; CKO Wallkill, 342 Main Street, Ogdensburg; NJSwim Swim School, 350 South Sparta Avenue, Sparta (starting November 16)
• Dates: Donate by mid-December; the campaign site lists both December 13 and December 16, so give early
• Contact: 973-724-4700, dover.nj@toysfortots.org
• Website: Toys for Tots Dover NJ

4. Operation Toy Train 2026

Operation Toy Train is a holiday train that collects toys for Toys for Tots Dover, and it is a fun way for kids to give. The 2026 train runs on Saturday, December 12, and makes three stops in Sussex County. Bring a new toy with no wrapping paper, see the train and meet Santa.

• Sparta Train Station, 30 Station Road, Sparta: 3:55 p.m. to 4:20 p.m.
• Junction Street grade crossing, 50 Junction Street, Franklin: 4:35 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.
• Veterans’ Memorial Park, 50 Vernon Crossing Road, Vernon: 5:05 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
• Cost: Free; bring a new, unwrapped toy
• Website: Operation Toy Train schedule

Annual Drives to Watch For

5. Junior Woman’s Club of Sparta Holiday Wish Tree

The Wish Tree lets you shop for a specific child. Take an ornament tagged with a child’s age and gender, then return a new, unwrapped toy with the tag attached. Gifts go to children served by New Jersey’s Division of Child Protection and Permanency. The club also offers an online Amazon list. The 2026 locations and dates were not posted when we checked. The tree is usually displayed from late November into December at spots such as the Sparta Library and Sparta Books, so check the official site.

• Location: Sparta area; 2026 sites to be announced
• Dates: Usually late November to mid-December, check the official site
• Contact: jwcsparta@gmail.com
• Website: Junior Woman’s Club of Sparta Wish Tree

6. Off Shore Marine Stuff the Boat

Off Shore Marine in Branchville collects new, unwrapped toys and gift cards in December for its Stuff the Boat drive, which it lists alongside the Season of Hope Toy Shop on its community page. The dealership had not posted 2026 dates when we checked, so call or check its community page before you go.

• Location: Off Shore Marine, Branchville
• Dates: Usually held in December, check the official site
• Contact: 973-948-7177
• Website: Off Shore Marine Community Outreach

Tips for Donating

Give early. Most of these drives need gifts in hand by early to mid-December so volunteers have time to sort them, and teen gifts are often the first to run short. Gift cards, art kits, sports gear, headphones and beauty or grooming sets are good picks for older kids.

Keep it new and unwrapped. Nearly every drive on this list asks for new items in the original packaging and no gift wrap, so organizers can check and sort donations. Project Self-Sufficiency also accepts wrapping supplies separately, since parents wrap the gifts they choose.

Call before a big delivery. If your office, school or team is collecting, contact the organizer first to set a drop-off time, especially at Project Help and Project Self-Sufficiency.

More Ways to Give and Celebrate Locally

Want to support local organizations all year? See our list of Sparta NJ nonprofits to know and support. Picking up gifts to donate? Shop small at our favorite gift shops in Sussex County. Then plan your season with our Christmas events in Sussex County calendar and guide to Christmas lights in Sussex County. Hosting this month? Our Thanksgiving in Sussex County guide covers dinners and turkey trots.

FAQ

Where can I donate toys in Sussex County NJ?

You can drop off new, unwrapped toys at Project Self-Sufficiency, 127 Mill Street in Newton, at Project Help, 55 Bank Street in Sussex, or at Toys for Tots drop boxes in Newton, Hamburg, Ogdensburg and Sparta.

When is the deadline to donate toys in Sussex County?

Project Help asks for donations by December 11, 2026, Toys for Tots Dover lists mid-December, and Project Self-Sufficiency collects into mid-December but needs gifts by early December. Earlier is always better.

How do families sign up for holiday toy help in Sussex County?

Families in Sussex or northern Warren County can register in person at Project Self-Sufficiency in Newton November 9 to 14, 2026. Toys for Tots requests go through approved local nonprofits, and that window closed October 31.

Does Toys for Tots serve Sussex County?

Yes. The Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots campaign based in Dover covers Sussex County, along with Morris, Warren and parts of Bergen and Essex counties.

Can I donate used toys?

The drives on this list ask for new toys. Project Self-Sufficiency also asks donors not to give soft items like stuffed animals, blankets or pillows.

When is Operation Toy Train in Sussex County?

Operation Toy Train runs Saturday, December 12, 2026, stopping in Sparta at 3:55 p.m., Franklin at 4:35 p.m. and Vernon at 5:05 p.m.