Play Comforts Military Families at U.S. Coast Guard Base

On March 25, 2010 representatives from the Toy Industry Foundation (TIF) and Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BCGA) visited U.S. Coast Guard Base Portsmouth in Virginia for a special Toy Bank distribution.  The toy giveaway took place during National Boys & Girls Clubs of America Week and brought joy to hundreds of children of Coast Guard and other military personnel, many of whom arrived home that very day from patrol on the Coast Guard Cutter Northland.  More than 1,000 toys were distributed as TIF and TIA staff joined BGCA and the Base Portsmouth division of Morale, Well-being and Recreation.  The event was one of many in 2010 celebrating TIF’s national partnership with the BCGA Military Services, known as Play Comforts, which allows the toy industry to bring comfort to members of Boys & Girls Clubs located on military bases of all five branches across the country with high deployment rates.

Toys distributed at the event were generously donated to TIF’s Toy Bank program by exhibitors at February’s American International Toy Fair®.

(photos by Harris Brandt)