WORLD NEWS

Superhero-themed toy giveaway brings magic of play to at-risk American kids

Published on: 22nd November 2019

Toy companies including Lego and Tomy teamed up with The Toy Foundation and BGC of Dorchester for a day of play. 

Volunteers have donned superhero capes to bring the magic of play to 250 at-risk children at a special Play Your Part event hosted by The Toy Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the North American toy industry, in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester. The event was held at IBEW in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

Dozens of toy companies including The Lego Group, Tomy, Ceaco/Gamewright, Schylling and Thames & Kosmos participated in the event, either by donating toys, sponsoring activities, and/or sending company volunteers, who handed out hundreds of toys and put on activities for the kids including ‘x-ray’ vision games and photo opportunities with Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Thor and Black Panther from the Marvel Universe. Children got into the spirit by donning superhero capes for the event, kindly donated by Rubie’s Costume Company.

Thousands of additional kids in need throughout the Boston area will receive gift bags from the event throughout the holiday season and beyond, helping them celebrate birthdays, special occasions, ceremonies, and more.

The nearly 7,000 toys provided for the cause – from action figures and dolls to board games, craft kits, puzzles, sports toys, and more – were generously donated by manufacturers, retailers and distributors to The Toy Foundation’s Toy Bank.

“It’s heartwarming to see members of the toy community roll up their sleeves and band together to help children in need – especially as the holidays draw near,” said Jean Butler, executive director of The Toy Foundation. “From inspiring and fun-filled activities, to the thrill of unwrapping a brand-new toy to call their own, these children were given the opportunity to have fun and just be kids despite the struggles they endure each day. We are so thankful to all of the volunteers and companies that helped make this event a great success.”

Play Your Part – Boston is the latest in a series of events hosted by The Toy Foundation in partnership with children’s charitable organisations, which act as a touchpoint for underserved kids in their local areas. Earlier this year, Play Your Part exemplified the generosity of the toy community with events held in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. More than 40,000 children in need were positively impacted by Play Your Part in 2019 alone.

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