AVTA Prepares for a Record Year of Stuff-a-Bus Toy Collection Efforts

Beginning Wednesday, November 26th and continuing through Monday December 15th, the Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA) Stuff-a-Bus Holiday Toy Drive will be holding its annual collection of toys and winter coats for the Antelope Valley community's children in need.

"For the past 31 years, AVTA has organized and led the efforts to bring together the Antelope Valley community in a toy collection campaign that brings joy to those in need during this holiday season," said AVTA Board Chairman Marvin Crist. "The key to our success is our staff, volunteers, local residents, and generous sponsors, all working together with the goal of helping kids."

Each year the AVTA Stuff-a-Bus Toy Drive collects donations of new unwrapped toys, winter coats, and gifts for children ages 0-18. Volunteers from participating charities will be heard chanting "Stuff That Bus!" and ringing their bells to make sure the children and families they serve have a much brighter holiday season. For 31 years, this annual event has brought joy to the hearts of local children in need during the holidays by collecting enough new toys and gifts to fill a specially decorated, zero-emission, battery-electric, 40-foot bus. 

There will be five Stuff-a-Bus collection event opportunities this year, beginning with the AV Family YMCA Gobble Wobble Fun Run on Wednesday, November 26th from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., then the City of Palmdale’s Jolly Holiday event on Saturday, December 6th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the West Palmdale Walmart on Sunday, December 7th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., then A Magical BLVD Christmas on Saturday, December 13th from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and finally the West Lancaster Walmart on Sunday, December 14th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A Stuff-a-Bus donation box is also located at the AVTA office in Lancaster. 

AVTA works with local charities to collect and distribute all toy and gift donations. The participating 2025 charities are A.V. Boosters, Grace Resources, Antelope Valley Youth Agricultural Association, Valley Oasis, Kids Feeding Kids Through Agriculture, Child and Family Guidance Center, and the South Antelope Valley Emergency Services (SAVES).

All donations will be distributed at the Holiday Drive-Thru Grocery and Toy Giveaway at AVTA on December 20th, 2025. No sign up is necessary and the event is open to all Antelope Valley residents. Local families will receive turkeys and Christmas meal supplies in addition to toys and gifts for their children from the AVTA Stuff-a-Bus program and more than 300 bicycles donated by the A.V. Boosters. For safety and orderly distribution reasons, only a drive-through service is available. No walkup services will be available – drive-thru services only. Children do not need to be present for parents to receive toys.  

Many local businesses helped AVTA to raise nearly $50,000 to help purchase toys and gifts for the holiday drive. 

“We expect this year to be a record-breaking year, both for the needs of our less fortunate community members and for the generosity of the sponsors, local businesses, and the contributions of individuals in the A.V. The generosity of our major sponsors, such as the City of Lancaster, City of Palmdale, A.V. Boosters, Teamsters Local 848, Southwest Healthcare Palmdale Regional Medical Center, RIDE/BYD, Duke Engineering, AV ALTA, AV Transportation Services, L.A. County 5th District Kathryn Barger's Office, WM, Point Broadcasting, Northpoint Development, MV Transportation, Gene Wheeler Farms, Local Union 416 and 433 Iron Workers, and IBEW/NECA, make a huge impact in the lives of many local families," continued AVTA Board Chairman Crist. "We also want to thank, RentSource, DP Commercial Brokerage, Kaiser Permanente, Complete Coach Works, Vinsa Insurance Associates, High Desert Medical Group, Avail Technologies, Edwards FCU, AVEDGE, Bayshore Consulting Group, Stradling, Yocca, Carlson & Rauth, Weideman Group, AES, Mission Bank, Minuteman Press, Palmdale Elementary Teachers Association, New Flyer/MCI, and Farmers Insurance, whose contributions help make AVTA’s Stuff-a-Bus a huge success."



AVTA provides local, commuter and dial-a-ride service to a population of more than 475,000 residents in the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale as well as the unincorporated portions of northern Los Angeles County. Its total service area covers 1,200 square miles and it is bounded by the Kern County line to the north, the San Bernardino County line to the east, the Angeles National Forest to the south, and Interstate 5 to the West.