Year-Round Initiatives Provide Hope Beyond the Holidays

The Marine Toys for Tots Program has evolved to support children and families in need throughout the year by providing educational toys, books, and other gifts to local organizations to distribute throughout their communities.

The Program recently provided over 400 toys and books to the Mien International Enrichment Network’s, (MIEN), Children’s Literacy Project—an initiative that collects educational resources to help children of lu Mien communities living in the United States.  

Much like the Toys for Tots Literacy Program is a primary initiative of ours, the Children’s Literacy Project is a major initiative of MIEN’s. The Toys for Tots Literacy Program was established in 2008 as a year-round effort to offer our Nation’s most economically disadvantaged children the ability to compete academically and to succeed in life by providing them direct access to books and educational resources that enhance their ability to read and communicate effectively.

For several years, the Children’s Literacy Project has been collecting educational resources to help improve the literacy skills of the lu Mien children. Through the toys and books provided by the Toys for Tots Program, 200 toys and books were distributed to lu Mien children in the Sacramento, CA area, and 623 toys and books were given to the lu Mien children living in communities across the state of Washington.

This distribution marked significant milestones in Mien’s efforts to empower children in lu Mien communities in California and Washington with the tools necessary to succeed in education and life, and has made significant improvements to the well-being of the lu Mien children.

The parents and children in the lu Mien community were extremely grateful for the gifts and generosity that will help their people advance in society through access to literary tools!

It humbles our hearts to see the impact that our Programs are making to children and families in need through year-round initiatives! This effort is another example of how Toys for Tots is providing smiles for today and hope for tomorrow!