Toys for Tots - McHenry County, Illinois

10/15/2026

A big "THANK YOU" to Kishwaukee Brewing Company for letting us host a kickoff meeting. Volunteers were able to get boxes (you will see them soon!) and other supplies they needed.
Thank you to Oak & Alchemy for the wonderful donation of DELICIOUS food to feed our volunteers. No one went home hungry!

10/04/2026

Our favorite Marine Wayne received a $1000 check from the McHenry County Deaf Club for Toys for Tots!! ❤️

He even smiled for the picture🤯 if you know Wayne you know that is a rare sight. 😂

Thank you so much 😊

10/03/2026

09/21/2026

Hi, I’m Matt Prentice, the new Coordinator for the McHenry County Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots!

I wanted to take a minute to introduce myself and tell you a little about who I am and how I ended up taking on this role.

I served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2000 to 2016, in both active duty and reserve components, and attained the rank of Gunnery Sergeant. As an infantry Marine, I served in a variety of roles, from Rifleman to Company Operations Chief, and am especially proud of my time as an Infantry Squad Leader during a combat deployment to Iraq in 2004.

After leaving the Marine Corps, I began a career in law enforcement and have spent the past 12 years serving with a local police department. I currently work as a detective and am a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, where I dedicate much of my time to protecting children and bringing offenders to justice.

I live in Wonder Lake with my wife, Nicole, who also serves as my assistant Toys for Tots coordinator, and our three children. As a family, we enjoy camping in our travel trailer and exploring our National Parks.

I’ve been involved with Toys for Tots since my time in the Marine Corps Reserve and started volunteering locally in 2022. I’m honored to take over as the McHenry County Coordinator and look forward to building on the great work of those who came before me to continue supporting children and families in need throughout McHenry County.

Semper Fi, and thank you for supporting Toys for Tots!

09/12/2026

2026 Marine Toys for Tots Foundation Training is underway. Our new coordinator Matt shared a quick photo. 👍🏼

As Kerrie said “does he axolotl questions?”
😂 😆 😂

October is almost here too…
Toys for Tots season is going to be amazing 

09/12/2026

Today, we remember the lives that were lost, honor the courage of the first responders and everyday heroes who answered the call, and recognize the resilience of our great Nation in the face of unimaginable tragedy.

As we reflect on this day, we also remember the families, survivors, and all those whose lives were forever changed.

May we continue to carry forward the spirit of unity, compassion, and service that emerged in the days that followed.

We will never forget.

Marine Toys for Tots Foundation

09/10/2026

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT:
Thank You, Amy Boucek!

We want to give a shoutout and a heartfelt thank you to one of our absolute Marine Toys for Tots champions, Amy Boucek!

Amy has been a driving force behind the McHenry County Marine Toys for Tots program. For the past five years, she worked side-by-side with Daniel Boucek, her husband (our past Coordinator), but her dedication goes back even further than that!

Amy is the definition of hard work, and she expects nothing less from those around her. As a retired science and math teacher of gifted students, she knows exactly how to unlock potential! If you have ever stepped foot in our warehouse (aka – Santa’s Workshop), you know Amy was always motivating, driving, and encouraging our student volunteers to work, work, work! She brings an unmatched energy that keeps the entire operation moving.

In fact, Amy wanted to give a special salute to our 2025 student volunteers from Prairie Ridge High School and Cary-Grove High School - she was incredibly impressed by your work ethic and hustle last season!

When she was not inspiring the youth, Amy was:

Sorting & Boxing: Organizing mountain ranges of toys by age and category.
Warehouse Magic: Keeping the entire facility organized, safe, and efficient.
Order Fulfillment: Prepping and staging every single order so local non-profits could pick them up seamlessly.

Toys for Tots succeeds because of people like Amy who pour their hearts into our community. Thank you, Amy, for your years of dedication, your fiery leadership, and for making sure thousands of local children have a brighter holiday season!

09/01/2026

Last week was Be Kind to Humankind Week and to celebrate Youth Ambassador Mentor Charlie Benton donated pens and pencils to the Prairie Ridge Kindness Club. The club decorated bags and added candy with a little note to be distributed to all of the teachers in the building. The club had a great time and the teachers loved them!! Happy start to the school year 📚

08/17/2026

Scouting, an Important Part in the Success of the McHenry County Marine Toys for Tots

In 2023, the McHenry County Marine Toys for Tots Program reached out to local Boy Scouts in the Crystal Lake area for help in moving boxes filled with thousands of toys (Troop 194). Troop 222 was assigned to 21 business locations in Algonquin, Crystal Lake and Fox River Grove. Just like other key volunteers, they were responsible for counting and collecting the toys they would gather and bring to Santa's Workshop (aka - our temporary warehouse). That next year, the boys were off to school and other endeavors, but their parents wanted to continue to support the McHenry County Marine Toys for Tots Campaigns in 2024 and 2025. In 2025, the parents of Troop 222, were the guardians of 14 box locations.

Then in July 2024, Trevor and Brynn helped out with a garage sale benefitting the McHenry County Marine Toys for Tots Program (see Trevor in the garage sale pic). That same year, Brynn's Girl Scout Troop 1923 helped out with four business locations. Brynn was designated a Junior Ambassador at her middle school (see Brynn with Daniel Boucek at the Prairie Ridge High School Military Appreciation Night). In 2025, Troop 1923 covered five collection box locations in Cary and Crystal Lake.

In 2024, Nicole Prentice, one of our core volunteers, learned that the Boy and Girl Scouts, and their parents, helped with our toy collection and inquired if Girls Scouts in her Service Unit or Council (I am not sure what to call them 🙂) could help. For Daniel Boucek, the past Coordinator for the McHenry County Marine Toys for Tots Program, this was a blessing. For 2024, the Girl Scouts covered four locations and five in 2025. Nicole has girls volunteering from Troops 26, 219, 616, 1933, and 1935.

Although we do not have photos from the Boy Scout Troops and their parents who continue to support the Marine Toys for Tots Mission, we are grateful to all. Volunteering as the scouts do instill a sense of responsibility, of gratitude, and caring for others in our communities. We hope to see most of these girls and parents again in 2026.

Without the support of our scouts and their families, we would not be able to deliver hope to those who need it most.
Thank you!