Toy Foundation’s “Play Your Part Chicago” Brings 6,000 Toys to Foster Kids in Illinois

July 24, 2019 | More than 6,000 toys were donated to kids in need July 17 at The Toy Foundation’s “Play Your Part Chicago” event, part of its popular industry volunteer series. More than 250 foster children participated in the fun-filled day of play at Guaranteed Rate Field, home to the Chicago White Sox.

Local news stations, NBC and WGN, were on hand to capture the festivities. Illinois state legislators Rep. Theresa Mah, Sen. Robert Peters, and Rep. Kam Buckner also took part in the lively event, which was co-hosted by The Toy Foundation and the Illinois Department of Family Services (DCFS). Photos from Play Your Part Chicago can be viewed on The Toy Foundation’s Facebook page.

“From Florida to Los Angeles to Chicago, The Toy Foundation’s ‘Play Your Part’ events continue to grow and have an incredible impact on thousands of kids,” said Jean Butler, executive director of The Toy Foundation. “We can’t wait to share details with the toy community on our next volunteer event taking place in Boston during the holiday season.”

Added Butler: “Interacting with so many families facing adversity never fails to produce an emotional moment. For me, it involved an eight-year-old foster child who could not fathom that he was about to take home brand-new toys. His first question to me was: ‘Do we have to pay for them?’ The look on his face when I replied ‘no’ was something I’ll never forget.”

Toy companies sent more than 90 employee volunteers to Play Your Part Chicago. Volunteers stuffed gift bags with toys, wrote notes of support, and played with the kids at activity stations sponsored by Intertek, Learning Resources, PlayMonster, Radio Flyer, Vtech, and UGears US. Event sponsors included Chicago Toy & Game Group, Educational Insights, Magformers, TOMY, and Toy’N Around.

In addition to the toys handed out at the event, toys will be distributed to foster children throughout the state of Illinois in the coming weeks.

Stay tuned for information on Play Your Part Boston, taking place later this year. Visit ToyFoundation.org to learn how you can help kids in need.