Toys Bring Joy and Comfort to Navy & Marine Families in California

As part of the Toy Industry Foundation’s (TIF) national Play Comforts partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BCGA), the two organizations visited the Murphy Canyon Youth Center in San Diego for a special Toy Bank distribution on May 10, 2010.  The toy giveaway brought joy to more than two thousand military family members stationed in San Diego. 

Toys distributed at the event were generously donated to TIF’s Toy Bank program by exhibitors at February’s American International Toy Fair®, as well as toy companies Build-A-Bear Workshop, Mindtwister USA, My Pillow Pets, Underground Toys, and USAopoly. 

Special guest Heidi Heller Niehert, Director of Sales & Marketing at My Pillow Pets, had much to say during this special distribution.  “My Pillow Pets was pleased to be invited to participate in the Play Comforts program in San Diego,” said Ms. Niehert.  “Our men and women in the military do so much for us as a Nation.  This is a great way to give their children a little extra attention and let them know how much they mean to us as well.  In talking to the children at the event, from the little ones to the teenagers, they really appreciate what the toy industry and Toy Industry Foundation have done to make this event a special day.”

Additional events are planned in 2010 to celebrate this national partnership, 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.

(photos by Harris Brandt)