Since 2017, the Zipper Junction Project’s Holiday Toy Drive has been more than just a gift-giving program—it’s become a lifeline for families across Wayne and Pike counties. Each year, it delivers toys, essentials, and a touch of holiday magic to hundreds of children who might otherwise go without.
The project began in a moment of urgency. A local organization that had been serving the area suddenly closed, leaving children at risk of missing out on holiday gifts. Jim Zumpone, founder and chief visionary of the Zipper Junction Project, was asked to store a few donated toys in his business. What started as a small favor quickly grew into something much bigger.
“I received a kind of a frantic phone call asking me if I could store some toys in my building for my main business, and it turned into within a week’s time creating a whole new program,” Zumpone said. “We help on average about 500 kids a year. Everything we collect is in Wayne and Pike Counties, and everything we distribute is in Wayne and Pike Counties.”
When asked why he chose to start a new program rather than continue with the existing one, Zumpone explained, “I was a little disillusioned with how they actually operate and it wasn’t local enough for me. That was the driver for creating this program.”
Local focus is at the heart of Zipper Junction. “The folks that donate live here, and a lot of them want to see their help go to local people,” he said. “Some they may know, some they may not, but it’s to see things collected and go, literally hundreds of miles away. It sounds somewhat selfish, but we’re trying to solve a problem locally from the local population.”
The logistics of the toy drive are no small feat. “We created an online application process where we tell folks if they apply through our website and they answer everything honestly, they will be accepted. It’s not like they have to wait to learn if they’re accepted. We do verify everything later through an interview process,” Zumpone said.
With nearly 300 drop-off locations—spanning stores, non-profits, and government agencies—the community comes together to support the effort.
“We collect everything in a very short amount of time, which is when all the work really begins. We basically check every item for safety, we value it, we categorize it, we put it in age-appropriateness categories as well,” Zumpone said.
The toy distribution is carefully orchestrated. Families “shop” in a setup Zumpone likens to IKEA: aisles lined with age-appropriate toys, each marked with color-coded stickers. “We have an algorithm so that when the last parent goes through to, quote, ‘shop for their kids,’ there’s still a little bit of a selection for them to get,” he said.
Meeting the needs of all ages is a constant challenge. “Newborn items under 18 months and from about 13, 14 and up are always the problem,” Zumpone said. “For teens, anything electronic, self-care items like ordering kits, perfumes and makeup. Small tool kits, things for your first car, buckets with cleaning supplies, small items for first dorm rooms. Some of them are seniors in high school. So they’ve gotten single-serving waffle makers and coffee makers. It was a big hit.”
Beyond the gifts, the drive touches lives in profound ways.
“Sometimes the stories we hear are intense. Parents will say, ‘We don’t deserve this,’ and that’s when you know we’re helping the right people,” Zumpone said.
Even as the volunteer roster fills quickly each season, there are still ways for the community to get involved. “We’re obviously collecting toys everywhere that’s listed on our website, zipperjunction.org. Click on the truck with the big bag of toys. It takes you to the Toy Drive homepage, and you can select any of the boxes there. There are events that you can support. Many businesses set up events that benefit us,” he said.
Looking ahead, Zumpone sees the project as a lasting community effort. “If there’s a need, we’ll be here,” he said.
For more information, visit zipperjunction.org
Image Credit: Zipper Junction Project