HASTINGS, Neb. — A holiday toy drive in Hastings is delivering one of the largest donations United Way of South Central Nebraska has ever received.

Heartwell Renewables and its construction contractors dropped off more than 1,000 toys Monday at the PEACE Center, supporting United Way’s Adopt-a-Family program and annual Toys for Tots drive.

Organizers say the collection is among the biggest toy donations in United Way of South Central Nebraska’s history.

In addition to toys, the team raised nearly $1,500 to help provide necessities for a local family of six experiencing a difficult year.

Heartwell will match employee donations dollar-for-dollar, bringing the total monetary contribution to $3,000.

Lauren Mafnas with Heartwell Renewables says giving back has been a priority since the company began operations near Hastings.

“At the forefront, a focus of Heartwell since we first began our operations in Hastings has been how do we be a good neighbor and how do we contribute to the community,” said Mafnas.

She added that the scale of this year’s donation came from strong participation by both full-time employees and hundreds of contractors working on the project.

“Everybody was just so happy to be able to give back to the community,” Mafnas said. “They’re living here, they’re eating here, they’re grocery shopping here — they want to help support it.”

Families approved through United Way will return Tuesday to select gifts for their children, with volunteers assisting parents during the process.