Education, Youth, KidsChamber Member
An American Holiday Tradition – Christmas is a time of joy, happiness and goodwill. It is a time of giving and helping those who are less fortunate than ourselves, especially impoverished children. For over half a century, one organization - The U.S. Marine Corps, is the unchallenged leader in helping America’s needy children.
In 1947, Major Bill Hendricks and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. The 1947 pilot project was so successful that the Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots in 1948 and expanded it into a nationwide campaign.
In 1948, Walt Disney designed the Toys for Tots logo, which we use today. Disney also designed the first Toys for Tots poster used to promote the nationwide program. Nat "King" Cole, Peggy Lee, and Vic Damone recorded the Toys for Tots theme. Since that time, Bob Hope, John Wayne, Doris Day, Lorrie Morgan, Tim Allen, Kenny Rogers and Billy Ray Cyrus are but a few of the long list of celebrities who have given their time and talent to promote Toys for Tots. And since that time Marines have collected and distributed over 386 million toys!
Our Mission - The mission of the Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.