The Empty Stocking Club

Ensuring every child has a toy at Christmas.

For over 100 years, the Empty Stocking Club, the charitable arm of the Wisconsin State Journal, has provided new toys to needy families in the Dane County and surrounding area each year at Christmas. The 2025 toy giveaway event will take place on Dec. 10 & 11 at the Alliant Energy Center, Madison, WI from 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. on both days.

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The next Toy Depot Event will be

December 10-11, 2025

8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin

Apply for a toy
Volunteer
See event details

Scenes from previous Toy Depots

Two Empty Stocking Club volunteers wearing holiday antlersA stack of "Gigantic Box of Craft" toy boxesTwo Girl Scout VolunteersA volunteer wheels a shopping cart of collapsed boxesA selection of outdoor/sports toys ready to distributeThree smiling Empty Stocking Club volunteersThree kids in Star Wars Stormtrooper masks at their home on Christmas
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Help every child in need have a new toy to open at Christmas.
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A history of helping

Our 2024 event, by the numbers

Community generosity made it possible for Empty Stocking Club to distribute nearly 9,500 toys and 9,500 books to children in need last holiday season.

$330,000
Dollars raised
~9,500
Children served
750+
Volunteer Hours
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If you need immediate assistance, please contact Empty Stocking Club Executive Director, Lynn Wood, at emptystockingclub@gmail.com.

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