ANNAPOLIS – The Maryland Natural Resources Police will hold its annual Boatload of Toys collection events at Walmart stores across the state starting Nov. 30, 2025, in support of the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program.
NRP officers and volunteer Reserve Officers will accept new, unwrapped toys at five scheduled locations in November and December. An online Amazon gift registry also allows Maryland residents to purchase and ship toys directly to NRP’s Safety Education Unit.
NRP Superintendent Col. Orlando D. Lilly said the drive has become a valued tradition.
“The Natural Resources Police is proud to bring back a yearly tradition in our Boatload of Toys gift drive this holiday season,” Lilly said. “We look forward to spending time with our community members, seeing familiar faces, and giving back while we gather toys for local children to make their holidays memorable. We’ve built upon the foundation and have steadily grown this campaign every year and we’re looking forward to this season being our best yet.”
In 2024, the campaign collected 1,935 toys and $690 in monetary donations statewide.
Scheduled 2025 collection events include:
- November 30, 2025 – Fallston Walmart, 303 Fallston Blvd., Fallston, noon to 4 p.m.
- December 6, 2025 – Hagerstown Walmart, 17850 Garland Groh Blvd., Hagerstown, noon to 4 p.m.
- December 6, 2025 – Berlin Walmart, 11416 Ocean Gateway, Berlin, noon to 4 p.m.
- December 7, 2025 – LaVale Walmart, 12500 Country Club Mall Road, LaVale, noon to 4 p.m.
- December 7, 2025 – Denton Walmart, 610 Legion Road, Denton, noon to 4 p.m.
NRP officials said additional drop-off sites may be added and will be announced on department social media channels and the NRP website.
The Toys for Tots program, coordinated nationally by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve since 1947, distributes new toys as Christmas gifts to children whose families face economic hardship. Local campaigns in Maryland work with schools, social service agencies and community organizations to identify recipients.
NRP has participated in Toys for Tots collections for more than a decade, originally gathering donations at boat ramps and marinas before expanding to retail locations and the online registry.
Monetary donations collected during the events are forwarded directly to local Toys for Tots coordinators to purchase additional toys or cover transportation costs.
Members of the public may also access the NRP Amazon Toys for Tots registry by searching “NRP Safety Education Unit” under gift registries on Amazon.com. Items purchased through the registry ship to NRP headquarters for sorting and distribution.
All toys collected by NRP stay in Maryland and are distributed through county-level Toys for Tots campaigns.
