Toys For Tots

Christmas is a very special time of the year.  Michael Jackson  had stated he was not allowed to celebrate Christmas time as a child due to religious reasons, but as an adult, he was blessed to have the wonderful friendship of Elizabeth Taylor, who Michael said gave him his first Christmas:

Since then, Michael had began to embrace giving at Christmas time.  We know Michael was no stranger to giving for Michael was an incredible humanitarian, giving approximately 300 million of his earned money to the children of the world – during ANY time of the year.

Our charity cause for December, is toys for Christmas.  Some children will not have a Christmas this year in a hospital, or at home, or have the hope of knowing what it is like to celebrate it.  We have found some wonderful charities that will deliver anywhere in the USA and some areas of Canada, England, Egypt and Australia.  Let’s come together during this special time of the year and give a child a precious gift to experience Christmas…

from:  http://www.toysfortots.org/default.asp

Toys for Tots is a mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. During October, November and December each year, Toys for Tots volunteers collect new, unwrapped toys in their community and distribute them as Christmas gifts to needy children in that same community.  Toys for Tots began Toys for Tots began in 1947 when Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. The organization grew and spread to other communities, and in 2006, local Toys for Tots Coordinators distributed 19.2 million toys to 7.6 million needy children in 558 communities throughout all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. All told, the Toys for Tots program has distributed more than 370 million toys to more than 173 million needy children.

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; plus has provided promotion and support materials valued at over $6.3 million.

Their Pledge: 97% of your donation goes to our mission of providing toys, books and other gifts to less fortunate children.  The 3% spent on support principally covers fundraising expenses – not one donated dollar goes to pay for salaries or any other manpower costs.  

On the donation page you can Donate in Honor of someone, so of course we would suggest you give in honor of our loving brother, Michael.

Donations throughout the USA: http://www.toysfortots.org/donate/toys.asp

A separate toy charity for different parts of Europe, Canada and Australia (as well as USA) is found here

http://childsplaycharity.org/donate (pick a country and donate here)

Since 2003, Child’s Play is a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in our network of over 70 hospitals worldwide. Over the years, you as a community have answered the call and come together to raise millions of dollars.

Child’s Play works in two ways. With the help of hospital staff, we set up gift wish lists full of video games, toys, books, and other fun stuff for kids. By clicking on a hospital location on our map, you can view that hospital’s wish list and send a gift.

Child’s Play also receives cash donations throughout the year. With those cash donations, we purchase new consoles, peripherals, games, and more for hospitals and therapy facilities. These donations allow for children to enjoy age-appropriate entertainment, interact with their peers, friends, and family, and can provide vital distraction from an otherwise generally unpleasant experience.

Michael cared deeply for all the children in the world.  Every time he would travel, he would visit children’s hospitals, delivering toys or a variety of supplies -usually whatever the hospital needed.  Michael did not need a reason, he just gave from his heart and soul, simply because since he was a child, he never wanted any child to know any kind of suffering whether it be illness, homelessness, hunger, or exploitation.  He loved to see children smile and even if only for a moment of their lives, that they had experienced a time of happiness.