While the rest of us are sweating through summer, Santa is trading in his sleigh for sunshine this July, and he’s making a very special stop for a heartwarming cause! A community-wide Christmas in July Toy Drive is underway across New Orleans and Metairie, benefiting the Ochsner Children’s Hospital Child Life Program. This effort is not only helping to drive foot traffic to local businesses during the typically slower summer months, but it’s also creating moments of magic for young patients and their families at Ochsner.

The Child Life Program works year-round to bring joy, comfort, and a sense of normalcy to hospitalized children. From toys and books to puzzles and crafts, the program uses donated items to ease anxiety, promote healing through play, and help kids cope with the challenges of medical treatment.

One standout event in the toy drive lineup is happening this Saturday, July 12, from 2–4 p.m. at Create & Play Club on Metairie Road. Kids can meet Santa Claus (yes, in July!), take pictures in front of a summery North Pole backdrop, and drop off a toy to help make another child’s hospital visit just a little brighter. Attendees can also shop Create & Play’s retail section and enjoy 20 percent off any item donated to the drive.

No toy? No problem. Many participating stores are offering in-store and online discounts for donation purchases. Shops like Le Jouet, Magic Box Toys, Banbury Cross, and Zuka Baby are just a few of the local favorites stepping up with deals and donation drop-offs. See the full list below.

For Kristina Vitrano, one of the organizers, this cause is personal. “As I was dropping off materials [for the drive], I got a call that my five-year-old son had taken a tumble at camp, and we ended up in the Ochsner ER,” she shares. “A Child Life Specialist came in with toys, used them to prep him, distract him, and completely shifted the experience. He walked out smiling, clutching a donated LEGO train set they [had] gifted him like it was gold.”

The toy drive runs throughout July, and every donation—big or small—makes a difference. So whether you drop off a toy at a local shop, attend Saturday’s summer Santa event, or order online for curbside pickup, you’ll be spreading cheer where it’s needed most.

Want to help? Here’s how:

  • Attend Create & Play’s Santa event (Metairie Road location) on July 12 from 2–4 p.m.
  • Shop and donate at participating retailers across the city
  • Tag @OchsnerChildrens and @Ochsner_Philanthropy when posting to social media to help spread the word

Participating Toy Drive Locations:

This article was originally published in July 2025.