For many student parents at Minneapolis College, the holiday season arrives during one of the busiest and most stressful times of the year.

Final exams, work schedules and family responsibilities often collide in December. This week, a Toys for Tots giveaway on campus offered some relief.

The college partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program to provide gifts exclusively for student parents. School officials say more than 145 student parents signed up for the event, representing nearly 270 children.

Veronica Krawiec is a nursing student at Minneapolis College and the mother of a young son, Christopher. She said balancing school, work and parenting can be overwhelming, especially around the holidays.

Krawiec said she was able to find a Lego set her son specifically asked for this Christmas, something she was not sure she would be able to afford on her own.

She said the support she receives on campus has made a significant difference, pointing to resources like the Student Support Center and food pantry. Krawiec said those services help her focus on school without feeling ashamed for asking for help.

"As a mom most of the time I feel like I'm failing but like this this helps me a lot to not feel as bad," she said.

Sharita Jackson, a first semester addiction counseling student and single mother of two, also attended the giveaway. She said resources like the Toys for Tots event help ease some of the pressure that comes with being a student parent.

Minneapolis College staff say the need among student parents has grown this year, in some cases doubling. The college estimates nearly 20% of its students are parents, and more than 70% of students identify as Indigenous or people of color, international, low income or first generation.

In addition to holiday giveaways, the college offers a Student Parent Center, a food pantry, basic needs support and access to housing, financial and veterans resources. Staff say those services are designed to help students stay enrolled and succeed while raising families.

College officials say events like the Toys for Tots giveaway help reduce stress during the holidays and allow student parents to focus on finishing the semester strong.