How Did Toys For Tots Start?

Diane Hendricks made a few handcrafted dolls and asked her husband Bill to deliver them to an agency that supports children in need. When Bill told his wife that he couldn’t find one, she instructed him to “start one!”. Maj Hendricks and the Marines in his reserve unit collected and distributed 5,000 toys in Los Angeles, CA, in 1947.

Bill’s full-time job was Director of Public Relations for Warner Brothers Studio, in Hollywood.  His close friend, Walt Disney, designed the train logo, and he knew many stars and celebrities who also endorsed the program, including Bugs Bunny. It is now an official mission of the US Marines Corps Reserve.

Last year, 2022, the program collected and distributed 22 million toys to fulfil the holiday hopes and dreams of 8.7 million underprivileged children.

Click here for more information on the 2023 Patriot’s Path Council Toy Drive.