Goodfellows fund helps those less fortunate

The inflation rate in the United States currently is at least double the long-term average of 3.27%.

That means shoppers get less for their money.

That means many parents may not have the disposable income to provide even one new toy for their children this holiday season.

But there’s something Western Pennsylvanians can do to ensure that kids aren’t disappointed come Christmas morning.

They can donate to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program.

Since 1947, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Goodfellows Fund has been heavily involved with Toys for Tots, collecting money from its readers and teaming with the Marines and Pittsburgh Cares, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, to provide holiday gifts for children who might otherwise have nothing.

In 2021, the three organizations together were able to buy 101,536 new toys for the less fortunate children in the region. Working with Pittsburgh Cares, the Marines distribute toys directly to agencies that help needy families. The Post-Gazette will profile some of those agencies in stories between now and Christmas. Toys for Tots also allows needy families to select toys during a private warehouse event Dec. 15 and 16.

For Pittsburgh Cares, the effort to collect and distribute upwards of 150,000 toys this year would be impossible were it not for the assistance of more than 300 volunteers.

“Between Pittsburgh Cares and Toys for Tots, we only have about 10 staffers,” said Amanda Trocki, executive director of Pittsburgh Cares. “We literally couldn’t do it without the help of our volunteers.”

The volunteers “help us with intaking all the gifts that are donated. The toys all end up at our warehouse, and the volunteers make sure they are safe for the kids. Then they pack them up for distribution” to individual agencies that participate in Toys for Tots.

Ms. Trocki said some of the volunteers keep coming back year after year, some sign up through the Toys for Tots or Pittsburgh Cares websites, and others come from businesses that donate toys.

“Their enthusiasm for doing good deeds during the holidays is so nice to see,” Ms. Trocki said.

The effort is much appreciated by the organizations that participate.

“There is no way we would be able to do what we are doing without Toys for Tots,” said the Rev. Harry Hoff, senior pastor at Hope Rising Church in Clarion. “It’s crucial.”

What his 400- to 500- member non-denominational church does is gather toys from Toys for Tots and local businesses and other organizations for distribution to children in several counties throughout Western Pennsylvania.

For Rev. Hoff, it truly is more blessed to give than to receive. One year, he said, the church delivered toys to 2,200 needy children.

“That year, there was no way half of those kids would have had anything if it wasn’t for Toys for Tots,” he said. “They embody the spirit of the holidays. It’s incredible.”

Since 2001, Toys for Tots has been ranked as one of the country’s top-rated charities by Philanthropy 400, the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s

annual ranking of American nonprofits based on the private support they receive. And Charity Navigator, which uses data from the IRS and other sources to form unbiased ratings of charities, gives Toys for Tots four stars, its highest rating.

Please help us deliver happiness to an area child in need and donate today. The Post-Gazette acknowledges all donor names. If using PayPal, you may specify the acknowledgement by entering your “in memory of” or “in honor of” custom acknowledgement message in the ‘Write a note” field prior to submission. Please limit your message to 60 characters for space consideration within the printed donor recognition list.

Use the coupon that appears with this story and send your tax-deductible contribution to Post-Gazette Goodfellows, Box 590, Pittsburgh, PA 15230 or donate online at www.post-gazette.com/goodfellows.

Donations may also be made by check and mailed to PG Goodfellows, P.O. Box 590, Pittsburgh, PA 15230.

“Between Pittsburgh Cares and Toys for Tots, we only have about 10 staffers. We literally couldn’t do it without the help of our volunteers.”

— Amanda Trocki Pittsburgh Cares executive director