Toys for Tots is near and dear to my heart for a couple of reasons, both are Marines. I don't believe there is anything that more eloquently expresses the character of the men and women of the U.S. Marine Corp than when they help a child in need to feel the true spirit of Christmas.
The Objective and the Goal: The initial objective that remains the hallmark of the program today is to “bring the joy of Christmas to America’s needy children”.The goal is to deliver a message of hope, which will assist in building self-esteem and, in turn, motivate less fortunate children to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders.
An Abbreviated History: Begun in 1947, when Major Bill Hendricks,USCR and a group of Marine Reservists in LosAngeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. The idea came form Bill’s wife, Diane. In the fall of 1947, Diane crafted a homemade doll and asked Bill to deliver the doll to an organization, which would give it to a needy child at Christmas. When Bill determined that no agency existed, Diane told Bill that he should start one. He did. The 1947 pilot project was so successful that the Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots in 1948 and expanded it into a nationwide campaign.
Over the 62 years of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, Marines have distributed more than 400 million toys to more than 188 million needy children. This charitable endeavor has made U. S. Marines the unchallenged leader in looking after less fortunate children at Christmas. Over its 18 year life span, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation has supplemented local toy collections with more than 81.3 million toys valued at more than $487 million.
Locally: Several businesses came together Dec. 7 to help the U.S. Marines and Scottsdale Fire Department’s Toys for Tots programs. Grand Canyon University, HR Betty and Global Media Group, each donated $5,000 to buy toys at Toys ‘R’ Us, which helped by stretching that money’s buying power. Elontec, a business services firm, donated a truck to bring the toys to Global Media headquarters in Scottsdale.
More Information/Donate: go to toysfortots.org it's never too early or too late... donations are received year round!
