A citywide toy drive is collecting gifts for Murrieta children at nine locations through Wednesday, Nov. 4.
The City of Murrieta and Murrieta Valley Unified School District (MVUSD) launched the "Stuff the Bus" campaign on Tuesday, Oct. 27, accepting new, unwrapped gifts and gift cards for children ages 0–17, Patch first reported. Organizers said gifts for teenagers are especially appreciated.
The Salvation Army will distribute the collected items to Murrieta families in need. MVUSD plans to pick up donations from all sites on Thursday, Nov. 5, and deliver them to the local Salvation Army chapter.
Where to drop off
Residents can bring donations to any of these nine locations:
- Murrieta City Hall
- Murrieta Mesa High School
- Murrieta Valley High School
- Vista Murrieta High School
- Lisa J. Mails Middle School
- Shivela Middle School
- Thompson Middle School
- Warm Springs Middle School
- Loma Linda University Medical Center – Murrieta
How the drive came together
The Murrieta City Council gave the program its blessing at an Aug. 18 meeting, where Council Member Stone introduced the proposal as a partnership among the city, MVUSD and the Salvation Army. According to council minutes, the program carries no cost to the city. The council reached consensus to move forward.
City spokesperson Hildur Sam said the drive reflects the community's commitment to helping neighbors and shows what local government, schools, businesses and nonprofits can accomplish together.
The city and MVUSD also thanked Paradise Chevrolet Cadillac and Riverside County Third District Supervisor Chuck Washington for their support, though the specific nature of their contributions was not detailed in the announcement.
Coming up in Murrieta
No additional community events were available for this calendar. Check back for updates on holiday happenings across the city.
