Hundreds of gifts will go to foster children in Hillsborough, thanks to the efforts of a kitchen worker at Tampa General Hospital.

  • Delwyn Collins led toy donation drive
  • Toys go to Foster Angels of Hillsborough County
  • Collins has organized drive for 28 years

Delwyn Collins got all of his fellow co-workers to donate.

“It’s about the kids. These kids need a hand up,” Collins said.

He hangs angels on the hospital tree that each represent a gift for a child.

“I use my own imagination, and I pictured myself as a foster kid,” Collins said. “If I was a foster kid, what would I want that my mom and dad couldn’t give me?”

Anyone who takes an angel from the tree then donates a gift. The toys then go to Foster Angels of Hillsborough County. Volunteers picked them up on Tuesday.

This is something that Collins has done for 28 straight years.

“I’m amazed every year,” said Foster Angels executive director Stephanie MacNeal. “This is an exciting event. All of my volunteers look forward to this event every year because it’s so exciting.”

Volunteers said the need for gifts goes up ever year. In fact, this year they said nearly 500 families will be getting the donated toys.

“Every year in Hillsborough County, there are more needy children,” MacNeal said. “Foster children, children that are referred from schools, we’ve got relative care children, adoptive children. The list gets longer and longer.”

Collins even bought a few toys himself, saying he couldn’t imagine a Christmas without a present.

“It makes me feel good. We did our part at the hospital. We did our part,” Collins said.

Collins was named a Tampa Bay Lightning Community Hero last year. For his reward, he chose a $50,000 donation to Foster Angels.