The holiday spirit rolled into WPLG Local 10 News on Thursday...literally. When Fernando Brandt, vice president of Big Bus Miami, arrived with a double-decker bus packed with purpose. The brightly wrapped bus made a special stop at the station to kick off its annual mission: collecting toys for South Florida families in need.

Mayte Padron Cordones, Local 10’s community relations director, shared that the bus will make nine stops across South Florida on Friday, officially launching this year’s Big Bus Toy Express.

The goal remains the same: gather thousands of new, unwrapped toys for South Florida Toys for Tots, the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve–run program that supports more than 500 nonprofit organizations in the region.

“Those 500 organizations, in turn, distribute them to the children that they serve,” Padron Cordones said, highlighting how each donation reaches deep into the community.

Over the past 11 years, the Big Bus Toy Express has collected roughly 165,000 toys, bringing joy to countless families. This year marks the 12th annual drive, with four collection stops in Miami-Dade and five in Broward. Donors can drop off toys ranging from stuffed animals and dolls to educational kits and sports equipment — anything new and unwrapped that can brighten a child’s holiday.

Local groups are already stepping up. Gary Sturgess of the Knights of Columbus said his organization began gathering toys all the way back in July, collecting around 1,000 toys valued at about $15,000.

Festivities kicked off with a performance from the Alchemy Twirl & Dance team, while Toys for Tots coordinator Cpl. Gustavo Lopez worked tirelessly behind the scenes in Hialeah to ensure everything runs smoothly.

With the Big Bus Toy Express rolling through town, South Florida is ready to deliver another season of smiles — one toy at a time.