“Our Marines together with out tens of thousands of volunteers made a difference in the lives of these children through the collection and distribution of toys and by their selfless personal example,” Toys for Tots says of their accomplishments in past years.
The holidays can be a stressful time. This is felt even more by those facing financial hardship. The United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps Reserve, and communities throughout the country have risen to help those in need celebrate the holidays with their children. The Toys for Tots program provides new toys to children who would otherwise go without special gifts at this time of year.
Toys for Tots began in 1947 in Los Angeles, California when Major Bill Hendricks, USMCR, led a toy collection drive during the Christmas season. 5,000 toys were collected. The United States Marine Corps officially “adopted” Toys for Tots and expanded it into a national program the following year.
Toys for Tots now collects 18 million toys annually, with an annual revenue of over $280 million reported in 2016. Remarkably, 97.4% of all donations go directly to the program, with only 2.2% to fundraising and 0.4% spent on overhead.
The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program’s mission is to “collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community.” The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation handles the “fundraising, funding and support” for the toy collection program.
Double your donation! @Hasbro is donating a toy/game, up to 1M, for every 1 you donate.🎁#BeFearlessBeKind pic.twitter.com/MrMdk0l1c3
— Toys for Tots (@ToysForTots_USA) December 6, 2017
Communities coming together
Toys for Tots operates at both the local and national levels. Local campaigns are led by a designated coordinator. Currently, over 700 communities representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico participate in Toys for Tots campaigns.
Coordinators engage with local businesses to arrange collection sites, non-profit, religious, and civic organizations to get donations, and volunteers to help distribute toys. Toys are collected during October through December. The iconic collection bins are set up to allow individuals and businesses to drop off toys during the busy holiday season.
The work of coordinators and volunteers is at the heart of Toys for Tots’ work. “Our Marines together with our tens of thousands of volunteers made a difference in the lives of these children through the collection and distribution of toys and by their selfless personal example,” Toys for Tots says of their accomplishments in past years.
National sponsors also play a key role in supporting Toys for Tots through donations and marketing. Major sponsors include Toys R’Us, Babies R’Us, Build-a-Bear Workshop, Hasbro, Hallmark, Hess, Disney, J. Walter Thompson Atlanta, and the UPS Store.
Additional initiatives
Now, the Marine Toys for Tots Native American Program “benefits over 120,000 Native American children annually providing toys and books to participating reservations as well as actively supporting the Office of the Vice President of the Navajo Nation with the Navajo Literacy Program.”
The UPS Store also sponsors the Toys for Tots Literacy Program. Through this program, disadvantaged children are given books. The mission of the literacy program is to “offer our nation’s most economically disadvantaged children the ability to compete academically and to succeed in life by providing them direct access to resources that will enhance their ability to read and to communicate effectively.”
The Toys for Tots Literacy Program reported fundraising efforts resulting in over $450,000 raised and over 1.5 million books distributed to those in need.
Toys for Tots also conducts The Marine Toys for Tots Native American Program from Laguna Niguel, California. To honor the relationship between the Marine Corps and the Navajo Nation began by the “Code Talkers” of World War II, collections began in 1980 to benefit the children of the Navajo Nation. Now, the Marine Toys for Tots Native American Program “benefits over 120,000 Native American children annually providing toys and books to participating reservations as well as actively supporting the Office of the Vice President of the Navajo Nation with the Navajo Literacy Program.”
Strong endorsements
“It is my hope that during this holiday season people will remember it is not about gifts. It is about family, service and gratitude,” the First Lady shared with the military families who had gathered.
Many celebrities and public figures have been vocal about their support for the work of Toys for Tots.
Most recently, First Lady Melania Trump attended a Toys for Tots event at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C. on December 13. Along with local military children, she volunteered to sort gifts donated to the program.
“It is my hope that during this holiday season people will remember it is not about gifts. It is about family, service and gratitude,” the First Lady shared with the military families who had gathered.
She follows in the footsteps of former First Lady Michelle Obama, who supported the program as a volunteer and public supporter during every year of her husband’s Presidency.
Other celebrity supporters have included President Ronald Reagan, Bob Hope, Clint Eastwood, John Glenn, Nat King Cole, Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, and William Shatner. The Toys for Tots train logo was created by Walt Disney in 1948. It has since been featured on posters, along with Mickey Mouse, Dennis the Menace, and Bugs Bunny.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYyPOsQMXB4
How to serve with Toys for Tots
The mission of Toys for Tots is a lofty one and cannot be accomplished without the hard work of dedicated individuals in every community.
You can make a monetary donation to support the work of Toys for Tots or one of its initiatives.
You can also drop off a toy at one of your community’s collection sites. Try hosting a collection drive at your school, work, or through a community organization. You can also volunteer to sort or distribute toys to help your local coordinator.
Don’t have a collection site in your community? Consider becoming a coordinator to expand the reach of Toys for Tots. Contact Toys for Tots for more information.
The holidays may still bring stress for many families. But thanks to Toys for Tots, they will also bring joy and wonder for so many children in need. Toys for Tots and the Toys for Tots Foundation showcase Marines doing what they do best: serving.
