Youth participating in Menlo Park police, fire and Peninsula law enforcement Explorers programs knocked on 467 doors in Menlo Park to collect donations for Toys for Tots, Second Harvest Food Bank, and the One Warm Coat drive.

That's a lot of doors, and it yielded a lot of donations, according to Menlo Park police: three 32-gallon bins of coats, enough toys to fill an 8-foot long truck, and 390 pounds of food. The Explorers also collected $151, which went to the Menlo Park Firefighters Association to purchase gift cards for children participating in Toys for Tots, and five bags of clothes, which were donated to St. Anthony's Church.

If you didn't answer the door, you can still participate -- the Explorers will accept new or "gently used" coat donations until Jan. 31 via a bin located in the lobby of the Menlo Park Police Department.

— Sandy Brundage

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