The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program began in 1947 in Los Angeles, Calif., with the efforts of Major Bill Hendricks (USMCR) who, noticing there was no charity which distributed toys to deserving children during the traditional Christmas season, collected and distributed more than 5,000 toys to children in the Los Angeles area that first year. Since then, the Toys for Tots Program has grown into a nationwide effort, coordinated by U.S. Marines, to help disadvantaged children learn the meaning of holiday giving through the gift of a new, unwrapped toy.
The Toys for Tots Program has, through its history, depended on the support of communities, businesses and charitable organizations across the country.
The program has also benefited from numerous celebrity spokespersons from the entertainment industry, including such notables as John Wayne, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, George Harrison, Johnny Carson, Charlton Heston, Sammy Davis Jr, Doris Day, Brooke Shields, Charlie Daniels, Barbara Eden, Ann Margaret, Andy Griffith, Glen Campbell, George Strait, Ricky Van Shelton and Tim Allen.
The Toys for Tots Logo was personally designed by Walt Disney in 1948.
The Toys for Tots Program has grown significantly during the years with over 30 million toys distributed in the past four years alone. Over 231 million toys have been distributed to more than 116 million children since the program's inception.
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