Play Your Part, a nationwide philanthropic event series hosted by The Toy Foundation (TTF), made its way to South Florida. As a result, on April 8, 250 children in need received brand-new toys and games.
The event was held in partnership with Junior Achievement South Florida at its Coconut Creek headquarters. There, local toy company volunteers and thousands of toy donations from manufacturers, retailers, and distributors to TTF’s Toy Bank made the day possible.
Kids in attendance got to take home a new toy of their choosing. Additional kids in need throughout South Florida will receive toys to help them celebrate holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions.
“Toys provide comfort to children who are living through difficult circumstances,” said Jean Butler, executive director of The Toy Foundation. “Our inaugural Play Your Part event in South Florida was a tremendous success. We are grateful to our toy industry donors for providing the ‘tools of play’ to help these children cope, as well as to our volunteers who worked together to make this day so memorable for the children in attendance.”
The Day’s Activities
Local toy companies, including Basic Fun!, Jazwares, Just Play, Getta1Games, and JC Toys, among others, participated in the event. Some companies donated toys. Others sponsored an activity station, and some sent company volunteers who handed out toys and led activities for the children in attendance.
Examples of this included pin the tail on the Fortnite Llama, board games, crafts, and more. The day was capped off with a special toy distribution, including dolls, action figures, board games, arts & crafts kits, stuffed animals, and more.
“It’s an integral part of the Jazwares mission to give back to the communities that we serve and support the education and development of children through play,” said Karen Kilpatrick, vice-president of marketing at Jazwares. “Being able to work together to actively engage with children has been really special. We are connected in our desire to give back and bring happiness to as many children as possible.”
“At JA, we work with 50,000 students each year to bring financial literacy, workforce readiness and entrepreneurship programs to life that help kids achieve their greatest potential,” said Laurie Sallarulo, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of South Florida. “This event is a special treat; a child’s dream come true – they get to have fun, play games, and receive toys from all the partners involved.”
More Info about the Play Your Part Series
The event marked TTF’s first Play Your Part in South Florida. Meanwhile, L.A., Chicago, and Boston also played host to similar events. Thus far, Play Your Part has impacted more than 300,000 children in need across the country.
Event Sponsors
Sponsors for Play Your Part – South Florida included: Basic Fun!, Getta1Games, Jazwares, JC Toys, Just Play, and Women in Toys, Licensing, and Entertainment (WIT).