Holiday Toy Giveaway Brings Magic of Play to Local Kids in Need

DORCHESTER, Mass., Dec. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 250 deserving children from Massachusetts enjoyed a winter wonderland of play today at a special Play Your Part event hosted by The Toy Foundation (TTF) in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) – Local 103 in Dorchester, MA.  

"The holidays should be about enjoying the magic of the season through toys and play – but many kids facing adversities do not get to experience this kind of wonderment. The Play Your Part events are meant to remind these kids that they have not been forgotten," said Jean Butler, executive director of The Toy Foundation. "In addition, from stuffed animals and dolls to board games and puzzles, the brand-new playthings donated through today's event will bring comfort and joy to thousands of kids who do not have a toy to call their own."

More than 50 volunteers from nearly a dozen regional toy companies — including LEGO, Schylling, Thames & Kosmos, and TOMY — helped distribute toys and run holiday-themed games and activities for kids, such as decorating cookies, creating custom ornaments, taking pictures with Santa, and other toy-sponsored events. Volunteers also assembled holiday gift bags filled with new toys and games for each child to take home. Thousands of additional children in need throughout Massachusetts will receive toys from the event this holiday season.

Toy manufacturers, retailers, and distributors generously donated more than 20,000 toys for the event and to The Toy Foundation's Toy Bank.

"Through the generosity of The Toy Foundation and the sponsors of this event, we are fortunate enough to be able to help so many families this year," said Bob Scannell, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester. "Many of our former club members return each year during the holiday season to give back. They let us know that it is the people and events just like Play Your Part that plant a seed of hope in the heart of a child. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester's board, staff, and families are touched by the kindness shown and beyond grateful for the support of The Toy Foundation." 

Play Your Part – Boston is part of a series of events hosted by the Foundation in various cities nationwide that aim to support and comfort underprivileged children. So far this year, Play Your Part events have been held in Los Angeles and Chicago.  

TTF works year-round to bring new toys and games to children who are impoverished, at-risk, in hospitals, in military families, and otherwise in need. To date, the Foundation has provided $200 million in toys to more than 25 million deserving children.

Event sponsors include: ASTRA, Educational Insights, Empire Group, LEGO, Schylling, Thames & Kosmos, TOMY, and Unruly-Studios.

About The Toy Foundation www.toyfoundation.org
The Toy Foundation (TTF) is a 501(c)3 children's charity whose mission is to provide joy and comfort to children in need through the experience of toys and play. TTF serves children who are coping with serious illness, enduring temporary home placements in the foster care system, suffering from abuse or neglect, experiencing separation from a deployed military parent, or dealing with devastating natural disasters. To date, TTF's signature program, The Toy Bank, has provided $200 million in toys to more than 25 million children in need around the globe, thanks to its generous toy donors.

About The Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester www.bgcdorchester.org
Established in 1974 as the Colonel Daniel Marr Boys Club, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester is dedicated to making a positive impact on youth and families in the community. Inside the three clubhouses exists a place for Dorchester's young people to learn, explore talents, play and make friends. Today, as always, their members have access to 200+ activities for just $5 a year. Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester serves over 4,000 children between the ages of two months and 18 years each year. During the school year, they serve approximately 250 meals every weekday.

SOURCE The Toy Foundation