Marine Toys for Tots Supports Children in Foster Care
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The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is more than a Christmastime charity—we are always searching for avenues that will allow us to provide support to children in need outside of our annual campaign season. On June 3rd, staff members from the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation teamed with Wendy Chadwell, local Coordinator for Middle Georgia, to distribute educational gifts and hope to children in the foster care system in the local Georgia area. The Foundation provided educational toys, books, games, and school supplies to fill 476 brand-new backpacks to the brim to gift to local foster care children!
“It is Marine Toys for Tots’ mission to bring hope and joy to more children in need every year – even beyond the holidays. That is why we distributed educational toys, books, games, school supplies and backpacks to the local District Foster Care Coordinators in Middle Georgia. This initiative was our first step in supporting children in foster care”, said LtGen Laster, President and CEO of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. “These children leave their homes with only a small plastic bag of their belongings. Marine Toys for Tots wants to give foster care children not only something tangible to take with them as they move, but also some tools and hope for a brighter tomorrow.”
The distribution event was held in Warner Robbins, Georgia, at the Houston County Department of Family and Children Services. The gifts were received by the local District Foster Care Coordinators that represented eleven surrounding counties and will directly provide to the children in the local foster care program. The event received local media attention as well as support from the Georgia State Patrol and Deputies of the Houston County Sheriff’s office and numerous local volunteers. Nearly eighty hours of work went into organizing the distribution event and stuffing the backpacks with toys, books, blankets, and school supplies provided by Toys for Tots. This initiative is just one of many that allows us to provide support to underprivileged children beyond the holidays.
