| Toys for Tots History
It all began in December 1947, with a hand crafted Raggedy Ann doll. The wife of Marine Reserve Major Bill Hendricks made this doll and asked her huband to deliver it to an organization that would present it to a needy child on Christmas Day.
Unfortunately, Major Hendericks could not find an agency that provided such a service. To help fill that void, Major Hendericks and members of his Los Angeles Marines Reserve unit, collected and distributed 5,000 toys to the needy childern of Los Angles, CA. during the Christmas 1947. The seed was planted and Toys for Tots was born. The following year the Marine Corps Reserve adopted the program and began collecting toys in nearly 200 communities nation wide. |
