The Holiday Season Shouldn't Leave Anyone Behind

For many families across the Delaware Valley, the holiday season can be a time of financial strain rather than celebration. Gary Barbera Cares' annual Holiday Toy Drive is designed to make the season a little brighter for children who might otherwise go without gifts. Each year, dealership locations transform into festive collection hubs where the community rallies together to donate new, unwrapped toys for local children.

How the Toy Drive Works

The drive kicks off each November and runs through mid-December. Large decorated collection bins are placed prominently at each Barbera dealership, and the goal is simple: collect as many new, unwrapped toys as possible for children ranging from infants to teenagers.

Donated toys are sorted by age group and distributed through partner organizations — including local churches, community centers, and social service agencies — that identify and reach families most in need. This network ensures toys get directly into the hands of children who will treasure them.

What to Donate

  • For infants & toddlers: Soft toys, rattles, board books, stacking toys
  • For ages 3–7: Action figures, dolls, art sets, puzzles, building blocks
  • For ages 8–12: Board games, sports equipment, STEM kits, craft sets
  • For teens: Gift cards (retail or restaurant), headphones, art supplies, journals

All donations must be new and unwrapped so that distribution partners can properly catalog and assign them to children on their lists.

The Community Spirit Behind the Drive

What makes the Holiday Toy Drive special isn't just the toys collected — it's the spirit of community that surrounds it. Customers dropping off cars for service leave with a toy in hand to donate. Sales team members bring in items from home. Local businesses organize collection efforts among their own employees and funnel donations to Barbera locations.

"The toy drive is one of those moments where you see the best of what a neighborhood can be. People genuinely want to give — sometimes they just need a convenient place to do it."

Make an Impact This Holiday Season

Participating is as easy as picking up an extra toy on your next shopping trip and dropping it off at any Barbera Automotive Group location. No appointment, no registration — just a desire to make a child's holiday a little more joyful. Every donation, no matter the size, adds up to something meaningful for families across our region.

Check the Gary Barbera Cares website each fall for updated drop-off locations, drive dates, and the most-needed toy categories for the current season.