Anoka-Ramsey Community College Coon Rapids Campus Cheer for the Holidays Food Drive and Toys for Tots drive combine forces this year in hopes of driving more charitable giving. The public is invited to contribute too.

On Nov. 16, students, faculty, staff and visitors at the Coon Rapids Campus began collection sites for the two holiday programs.

Cheer for the Holidays is the Phi Theta Kappa chapter’s name for their annual food drive to benefit local families needing help in providing a festive holiday meal.  Donations are collected by Christmas Committee, Inc., a local non-profit organization that distributes literally tons of food and 10,000 toys to 1400 families and 100 homebound people from Anoka County each holiday season.

Anoka-Ramsey’s Veterans’ Services Center is acting as liaison for Toys for Tots, the national collection and distribution program coordinated by the U.S. Marine Corps.  New, unwrapped toys are requested, and will be distributed in the area’s local communities.

Four drop-off sites have been established. Three are at the Coon Rapids Campus:

• Across from Institutional Advancement Office Rm. L20

•   Business/Nursing Bulge

•   Veterans Services Office Rm. L124

A fourth site is off-campus at the Integrative Health and Healing Center located at the corner of Coon Rapids Blvd. and Round Lake Blvd.

In addition to the chance to donate food and toys, volunteers are needed to help sort, organize and give out the donations from Dec. 15-18.

For more information about the program or to join in the community giving, contact the Anoka-Ramsey Community College Coon Rapids Campus Phi Theta Kappa President, Angela Kealey at keal003@metnet.edu.