FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Adrienne Appell / Sara Leutzinger
Toy Industry Association / Boys & Girls Clubs of America
646.520.4863 / 404.487.5624
aappell@toyassociation.org / sleutzinger@bgca.org
More than 600 Children at Dyess Air Force Base Get New Toys & Games from Toy Industry Foundation
Abilene, TX | December 7, 2016 – More than 600 children living at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas were treated to a special toy giveaway on December 6 hosted by the Toy Industry Foundation (TIF) and national partner Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) Military Services.
Kids and parents enjoyed a fun-filled Santa’s workshop-themed event at the base, where they played games, enjoyed arts & crafts activities, met with Santa and his elves, and watched a movie. To cap off the event, each child in attendance got to take home a brand-new toy, choosing from a broad selection of playthings that included board games, puzzles, outdoor toys, stuffed animals, action figures, arts and crafts, and more. The toys and games were donated to TIF’s Toy Bank by generous toy manufacturers, distributors and retailers from across the nation.
“We were thrilled to provide these children and their parents with some extra support and a lot of fun, especially as the holidays draw near,” said Jean Butler, TIF executive director. “It’s our way of saying ‘thank you’ to the brave men and women who serve our country – and to their children, who must live far from the comforts of home and with the anxiety of having one or both parents deployed overseas at any time.”
This event was held as part of the TIF-BGCA Play Comforts partnership, which launched in 2010 to celebrate and support military families. To date, the program has touched the lives of 1.7 million children residing on 243 bases worldwide. Thanks to the generosity of the entire toy industry, nearly $6.5 million in toys have been provided to these deserving children, from infants to teens.
As the first-ever national toy distribution program to canvas every branch of the U.S. military, Play Comforts has impacted military bases most in need of toys due to high deployment rates and other factors. Together, TIF and BGCA have hosted special events at select bases, like the one held at Dyess Air Force Base. In addition to providing kids with toys, these unique events provide wonderful opportunities for families to get together, relax, and enjoy a fun-filled day of laughter and play.
Toys distributed at Dyess Air Force Base were kindly donated by Alex Brands, Bananagrams, Hasbro, International Playthings, Lulu, Mattel, Mayfair, Ohio Art, and Play Monster.
ABOUT TOY INDUSTRY FOUNDATION www.toyindustryfoundation.org
The Toy Industry Foundation (TIF) is a non-profit organization whose mission it is to bring the magic of play to children in need. While other organizations provide food, shelter and support services to children and their families, TIF sees to it that these children have toys and opportunities to play in an attempt to restore both fun and a sense of normalcy to their lives. To date, TIF’s signature program, The Toy Bank, has provided more than $200 million in toys to 23 million children in need around the globe, thanks to its generous toy donors.
ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA www.bgca.org
For more than 150 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,200 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more on Facebook and Twitter.