'It helps ease the burden': Toys For Tots provides holiday relief for student parents

Aaron and Dayna Jennings had considered letting their 6-year-old daughter choose her own Christmas present, but decided against it at the last minute.

"We found out she believes in Santa Claus," Dayna Jennings said.

So instead, the couple went alone Tuesday to the veterans center at Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC), where the department of Student Life hosted its annual Toys For Tots giveaway for student parents. They browsed the tables chock-full of stuffed animals, Lego sets and other wares, settling on a copy of the board game Candyland.

"We figured this would be a good surprise for her," Dayna Jennings said.

More than 40 students stopped in the roomful of toys by late Tuesday morning, said Becky Nordin, dean of students. Nordin has overseen the program for six years and noticed an uptick in the number of students signing up for the giveaway since 2020.

Several students who worked hourly jobs to put themselves through school, particularly those who worked in food service, were struggling as employers cut workers' hours in the early months of the pandemic.

This year, nearly 200 students have requested toys for 458 children, college officials said.

"It's just gotten bigger every year," Nordin said.

Carisha Thomas, who picked up a set of plastic doctor's tools for her 3-year-old son, said the event has helped ease the financial burden that she and several other families have faced.

As an international student from Grenada, Thomas is only allowed to work her on-campus security job for 20 hours per week, which left her little room for recourse as the cost of essentials such as groceries and gas rose dramatically this year.

"You find yourself having to save every bit of dollar as much as possible," Thomas said.

Aaron Jennings similarly found himself facing financial uncertainty for much of the fall as the freight company where he works cut his hours.

"It put a real strain on me," he said.

The Toys For Tots giveaway provided a respite for him and Dayna Jennings, who attends MCTC full time and hopes to transfer to the University of Minnesota next year.

In addition to the board game for their daughter, the couple also snagged an alphabet board with removable letters for their 3-year-old son. For the last few months, they noticed their daughter reciting the alphabet with him and figured it would be a good way for the youngsters to bond.

"She's kind of his at-home teacher," Dayna Jennings said.

The couple also regularly reads to their children — the adventures of Pete the Cat are a particular favorite in their household. As luck would have it, a stuffed animal of the book series' protagonist was among the offerings at the veterans center Tuesday.

They picked it up for their third child, a son who's due the day after Christmas.