Rapid City SD – At Rapid City Fire Station 1 on Main Street this month, the vestibule is taking canned goods and the lobby is taking toys. They’re two drives under one roof, both asking neighbors for the same thing: a little extra for families who could use it this season.

Holiday Food Bundles

The Little Free Pantry near Wilson Elementary School is collecting nonperishable food through Nov. 22 to build Holiday Food Bundles for local families. The pantry is run by the Go Far Foundation, and the Rapid City Fire Department is serving as the drop-off point.

“Our Little Free Pantry has always been about neighbors helping neighbors,” the foundation wrote in its announcement of the drive.

Where: Rapid City Fire Department Station 1, 10 Main St. Donations go in the vestibule inside the station.

When: Nov. 1–22, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during business hours, according to the fire department.

What they need:

• Canned vegetables (green beans, corn, carrots)
• Canned chicken
• Cranberry sauce
• Stuffing mix
• Instant mashed potatoes
• Canned gravy and gravy packets
• Cornbread mix
• Biscuit mix
• Pumpkin pie filling
• Pie crust
• Any other nonperishable food

“Whether you donate one can or a whole bag of groceries, your generosity matters,” the foundation wrote.

Need a bundle? The foundation says it will share details soon on how families can sign up.

Year-round: The pantry itself, at 912 Franklin St., is open around the clock, and food and other essentials are welcome there any time. Holiday drive donations should go to Station 1.

More information: gofarfoundation.com or go*************@***il.com

Toys for Tots

Toys for Tots of the Black Hills, run by volunteers under the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program, is collecting new, unwrapped toys for children in Pennington County. Donations can be dropped at official sites across the area:

• 605 Auto Plaza
• Jerry’s Cakes & Donuts
• Nutrishop
• Oyate Health Center
• Prairie Edge
• Rapid City Central High School
• Rapid City Fire Department Station 1 (lobby, during business hours)
• Silver Linings Creamery
• Spearfish Police Department
• Victoria’s Garden
• Who’s Toy House

Cash donations to the local campaign can be made online at rapidocity-sd.toysfortots.org. Businesses interested in becoming a drop site can call 605-389-3099.

Need toys for your kids? Families must live in Pennington County and register online at rapidcity-sd.toysfortots.org. Registration is open Nov. 1 through Dec. 1. Families accepted into the program get an email with a control number and details on distribution day.

A parent or guardian must verify in person on distribution day and bring one document from each category:

• The toy request registration ticket (printed or on a phone)
• Government-issued photo ID
• Proof of Pennington County residency, such as a driver’s license, lease or utility bill
• Proof that each child is your dependent, such as a birth certificate, guardianship papers or your most recent tax return
• Proof of each child’s date of birth, such as a birth certificate or the child’s Medicaid card

The program aims to give each child one toy, one book and one stocking stuffer. Questions: ra***********@*********ts.org. The campaign is run entirely by volunteers, so replies may take a little time.

One can, one toy

Neither drive needs a big donation to make a difference. A box of stuffing, a can of green beans, a single new toy. Station 1 takes both, so one stop on Main Street covers it.

Sourcing

Go Far Foundation’s drive announcement, flyer and website; Rapid City Fire Department (drop-off location and hours, via message to The Sentinel); Toys for Tots of the Black Hills (official donation site list, Facebook; registration and eligibility details, rapidcity-sd.toysfortots.org). The Go Far Foundation gave permission for this story.

The post Food and toy drives open across Rapid City for the holidays appeared first on THE RAPID CITY SENTINEL.