There is immense positive impact when the toy industry unites behind The Toy Foundation™ to deliver the power of play to children when they need it most. Last week, during the 25th Anniversary Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards and throughout Toy Fair®, both held in New York City, $1.3 million in toy donations and financial contributions were generously donated by the toy community in support of children in need around the world.

The most creative and innovative toys and games earned top honors at the 25th Anniversary Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards tonight, where nearly 800 toy, play, and youth professionals gathered to celebrate excellence in play, as well as the industry icons inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. Proceeds from the awards program and event supports The Toy Foundation™ (TTF), the philanthropic arm of The Toy Association™, which delivers play to millions of children when they need it most.

Beacon Media Group, a full-service marketing, communications and media agency group and integral partner of the toy industry, hosted an employee-driven friends and family online fundraiser this summer in support of The Toy Foundation’s work delivering play to children’s hospitals. In addition to the employees raising cash donations, Future Today, a leading streaming technology provider and trusted vendor of Beacon Media Group, joined the fundraiser with a matching contribution in support of children in need.

On September 9, the toy industry gathered at The Toy Foundation’s (TTF) “Party with a Purpose” fundraiser to raise approximately $570,000 to support TTF’s Children’s Hospital Play Grants program.