Disney Provides Thousands of New Toys for Children

Tis the season for giving. And Disney is doing just that!

Toys For Tots Initiative

This year, the Toys for Tots Foundation recognized Disney for enduring support as VoluntEARS distribute thousands of toys for families in need. The VoluntEARS and Marine Corps worked on December 18th to distribute the toys to families.

If you have shopped on shopDisney lately, you may have noticed the Disney Ultimate Toy Drive. Now through December 24, 2021, you can donate a toy online at shopDisney.com/ToysForTots, or a new, unwrapped toy at any Disney store in the U.S. or World of Disney at Disney Springs and the Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort World of Disney. Disney will donate an additional $1 to Toys for Tots.

The Results so Far

The company kicked off the Disney Ultimate Toy Drive with a $500,000 donation to Toys for Tots. Hopefully the donation will both provide toys and inspire hope this holiday season. As part of this donation, $50,000 directly supported efforts for the Central Florida community. 

Not only that, but people have donated over 10,000 toys in Walt Disney World! Hence the need for so many voluntEARS to get those toys to children and families in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. I (KatieP) think it would make Walt proud.

A History of Giving

According to Disney Parks Blog, “Toys for Tots began in 1947 in Hollywood as the brain child of Marine Corps Reserve Maj. Bill Hendricks and his wife Diane. Maj. Hendricks, an executive in the entertainment industry, was friends with many celebrities who he approached to help support the newly created Marine Toys for Tots program.

As a personal friend, Walt Disney designed the first Toys for Tots poster which included a miniature three-car train that was subsequently adopted as the Toys for Tots logo that is still in use today” (2021).

“Disney has been our foundation’s longest and most loyal supporter for more than 70 years,” Lt. Gen. Laster said. “Our foundation is built upon the dream of one Marine to make a difference for families in need during the holidays and the unwavering support we received from legends like Walt Disney and the company he founded.”

More Ways to Give

If you want to participate beyond donating toys, there are other philanthropies in full swing around the holidays. For example, Give Kids the World is offering its Night of a Million Lights fundraiser.

If you want to know how to help, we have got you covered. You can read more about how you can help amazingly brave kids by going to see Christmas lights right here!

Have you participated in Toys for Tots or Give Kids the World Night of a Million Lights? Let us know in the comments below or join the conversation on our Facebook page.