Thank You for an Exceptional Week in Dallas!

The Toy Foundation (TTF) and its Board of Trustees are grateful for the industry’s support of the Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards and additional TTF programming, including our inaugural Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Program and return of a wide-scale Toy Bank collection from toy show exhibitors in Dallas. Collectively, more than $850,000 was raised to help TTF deliver the benefits of play to children in need.

The TOTY Awards in Dallas featured a renewed program, and we are deeply gratified by the toy and play community’s positive response. TTF’s DEI, Children’s Hospital Play Grants, and Toy Bank programs, along with our impact partners, took center stage where attendees saw the effect of their collective philanthropy.

“Just Play is a longtime supporter of The Toy Foundation. After seeing all the Foundation has accomplished this past year and what they are looking to achieve, we could not help but make an additional gift to help further this important work,” said Geoffrey Greenberg , Co-CEO of Just Play .

We could not have conveyed the life-changing impact of play without the involvement of our local nonprofit partners who joined us throughout the week. Thank you to? Baylor Scott & White Health McLane Children’s Medical Center, Dallas Metro, Rainbow Days, Inc. , The Birthday Party Project ,?and University of North Texas at Dallas ?for inspiring us with your hands-on work supporting children in the Dallas area.

We are also appreciative of the support from our program presenting sponsors,? 亚马逊 , Jazwares, LLC , and Mattel, Inc. ? Anne Carrihill , general manager and category leader of toys and games at Amazon;? Sara Rosales Montalvo , senior vice president of communications at Jazwares; and Nancy Molenda , executive director for Mattel Children’s Foundation & Philanthropy at Mattel, each shared why they are passionate about delivering the power of play to children in need and how TTF’s programs help them achieve just that.

Wednesday marked TTF’s inaugural DEI program which focused on the importance of inclusion and introducing diverse, young talent to careers in toy. Thank you to our presenters and partners who helped us launch this important work, Jason Balfour , Jay Dotson , Michael Rinzler , and Sara Rosales Montalvo?of?Jazwares; Bryony Bouyer ?and? Lora G. of? Hasbro ; Stephanie Bailey ?and? Dion Vlachos of? Paramount ; Dominique Mueller , Nik Nayar ,?and Pamela Krominga of? 塔吉特百货 ; James Musyoki of?Dallas Metro; Tiffany Beaudine of?Rainbow Days, Tabatha Gonzalez-Olaechea ?of?The Birthday Party Project;?and, of course,? Bill Ingram, Ph.D. and the?students from The University of Texas at Dallas.

To close out the week, a big thank you to more than more than 100 Preview & Holiday Market exhibitors who donated toys and games from their booths. An estimated $250,000 worth of toys were collected and delivered to our local nonprofit partners, bringing joy to an estimated 20,000 children in need throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

“The Chronicle Books and Mudpuppy team is happy to donate nearly 1,000 books, puzzles, games and other toys to deserving children we know will treasure them for years,” said Emily Malter , Associate Manager of Events at Chronicle Books . “A toy can unlock so much joy for a child. Thank you, Toy Foundation, for organizing!”

Of course, the entire week of events would not be possible without the support of all our sponsors,? Build-A-Bear Workshop , Crayola , Dallas Market Center , GES - Global Experience Specialists , Just Play, the LEGO Group , Melissa & Doug , MGA Entertainment , Moose Toys , NightGlass Media Group , Paramount, Radio Flyer , Schylling Inc. , Spin Master , The Toy Association Board of Directors, tonies? USA , Toy'n around, a Genesis Company , Toysmith , and 伟易达 .

Finally, thank you to? The Toy Association ?for the continued partnership and support for these events and all year long.