Toys for Tots began as a
Los Angeles charitable effort in 1947. Major Bill Hendricks, USMCR, was inspired by his wife Diane when she tried to donate a homemade
Raggedy Ann doll to a needy child but could not find any organization to do so. At her suggestion, he gathered a group of local Marine reservists, including
Lieutenant Colonel John Hampton, who coordinated and collected some 5,000 toys for local children that year from collection bins placed outside Warner Bros.
movie theaters. Jon B. Riffel also helped found the organization. A theme song for the program was written in 1956 by
Sammy Fain and
Paul Francis Webster, and would be recorded by
Nat King Cole,
Jo Stafford,
Peggy Lee, among others. Until 1979, Marine reservists (frequently in their
dress blue uniforms) and volunteers would collect and refurbish used toys. In 1980, only new toys were accepted, as reservists were no longer able to dedicate drill hours to refurbishing toys, as well as legal concerns, to prevent the accidental giving of
recalled items, and the mixed message of giving
hand-me-downs as a message of hope. Noting in 1996 that many communities did not have a Marine reservist presence, the commander of the Marine Forces Reserve authorized
Marine Corps League detachments and other local organizations to fill the gaps in toy collection and distribution. In December 2011, she took part in a Toys for Tots activity at
Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. , the Toys for Tots Program and Foundation have collected and distributed more than 512 million toys. The program draws interest from multiple celebrities who appreciate the youth aspect of the charity. In 2022, the
Backstreet Boys were inspired by young band
First Day of School (band) who had raised money for the charity through busking, and donated a portion of $25,000 to the charity in their name. The charity has also expanded year-round efforts that extend support to underprivileged children across the Nation outside of Christmastime. They have a Literacy Program dedicated towards providing age-appropriate books to children in low-income neighborhoods to break the cycle of poverty. Toys for Tots also has a Native American Program that donates toys and books to children on participating remote Reservations in collaborative support with the Office of the Vice President of the Navajo Nation's Navajo Literacy Program. ==Notable achievements==