Local charity marks 300,000th hand-crafted wooden toy to be delivered to kids in need
ToyMakers is 100% volunteer group delivering hand-made wooden toys year round
The ToyMakers are like holiday elves for kids, but they are at their workshop year-round, are fully volunteer-based and working hard to provide wooden toys for sick children or kids in need in the Tampa Bay Area (Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, and Hernando counties). They make brightly painted, simple and safe wooden toys for children to help with physical and emotional distress.
Last year the ToyMakers provided over 20,000 free toys that were delivered to 27 different agencies in the Tampa Bay area. They deliver four times per year to agencies including All Children's Hospital, All Children's Specialty Care, Ronald McDonald Houses, Salvation Army, Shriner's Hospital, St. Joseph's Cancer Institute, Tampa Children's Hospital, Youth and Family Alternatives, County Fire and Rescue, and local Police and Fire departments.
The ToyMakers has been providing free hand-made toys to needy and sick children since 1982. All toys are designed to be safe and contain no nails, screws, staples, or sharp corners. They have approximately 65 volunteers making toys out of a work shop in Hudson, Florida or from their own homes. 100% of all material and money donated to their organization is used in the making of the toys.
“We do this to give kids just a little brighter smile while they are going through tough times,” says Carl Hansen, Treasurer of The ToyMakers. “We all do this out of love. You can just imagine the look on the kid’s faces as they get their new toy.”
On Wednesday, February 13 marked The ToyMakers 300,000th toy to be delivered. “We are so proud of this accomplishment. We want to keep this organization growing providing even more free toys each year and continue to provide a constant supply of toys to all of the agencies that depend on us on a regular basis.” says Bill Coccia, President of The ToyMakers.
"You only have to attend one of our toy deliveries to see the great response our toys get from the children, their parents, and the staff at all the agencies that get our toys. We are proud that we re-cycle scrap wood to make our toys and that so many retired men and women get great satisfaction in giving back to our community through the toys that we produce." says Coccia.
About ToyMakers: ToyMakers is a 501(c) 3 status non-profit organization that has been providing free, wooden toys to sick and needy children in the Tampa Bay area since 1982. The ToyMakers is 100% volunteer-based. For more information, visit www.thetoymakers.org.
