Hope and Gifts Delivered to Chicago Community

Marine Toys for Tots is a year-round force for good—we provide hope and emotional comfort beyond the holiday season. We recently provided toys, books, and games to Universal Prayer Tower (UPT), a Good360 Community Redistribution Partner whose mission is to provide essential resources for underserved families in Chicago and its surrounding counties.

The toys included games, dolls, and trucks, and were distributed by UPT volunteers to hundreds of families. One mother explained how this donation greatly impacted her family.

“This event was incredibly helpful for me. I have three girls: nine, seven, and five. They were so excited to start playing with all their new toys. I couldn’t open the boxes fast enough! We are so appreciative.”

More than 1,000 people attended the event, which inspired a local member of the community to become a volunteer for UPT.

“I think giving back to the kids is an amazing idea,” she said. “Not many people take the time to come to our neighborhoods and make a difference, but witnessing the good UPT is doing makes me want to start giving back as well.”

In Chicago, 17% of people live at or below the federal poverty line. This is notably higher than the national average of 11.6%. UPT serves those people through events like this to help families alleviate the stress of managing a tight budget.

“This event helped us bring healing to our community,” said Debra Dill, Office Manager at UPT. “These children have been through a lot, and this donation helps them enjoy being a child.”

This distribution event is one example of how Toys for Tots continues to bring joy to children in need year-round.