Funds Raised Through 2026 Toy of the Year® Awards will Support Children in Need Worldwide
NEW YORK, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Toy Foundation’s Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards, which took place on February 13, 2026, is the toy industry’s annual unifying moment to celebrate creativity, innovation, and come together in support of children in need. Nearly 800 toy and play professionals attended the celebration at Pier Sixty in New York City, where their ticket purchase, awards activity, raffle participation, auction bids, and financial donations all contributed to raising over $1 million to support The Toy Foundation’s efforts to distribute toys and fund play projects for children in need around the world.
The Toy Foundation™ is the philanthropic arm of The Toy Association™ and the only industry-wide initiative that unites toy and entertainment companies to give back with measurable, collective impact. The TOTY Awards brought more than 40 companies together via sponsorships, with a record-breaking seven presenting sponsors: Amazon, Hasbro, Jazwares, Mattel, MGA Entertainment, Ravensburger, and Spin Master and Melissa & Doug. Each company took the stage to emphasize the importance of play in children’s lives, especially during challenging times, and encouraged the industry to engage philanthropically. The Toy Foundation also thanks the TOTY vision sponsors, including: Bandai Namco Foundation of America, BBC Studios, Build-A-Bear Workshop, JAKKS Pacific, Just Play, The LEGO Group, Paramount, P.M.I. Trading and Enterprise, tonies, and VTech Electronics.
“At the heart of the toy industry is a mission to place the joy of play into the hands of children everywhere, and The Toy Foundation is proud to channel the industry’s shared philanthropic purpose to give back in an extraordinary way,” said Pamela Mastrota, executive director of The Toy Foundation. “We are deeply grateful to the companies and individuals who supported the TOTY Awards. The more than $1 million raised will translate directly into comfort, healing, and joyful moments for children who need it most.”
All TOTY Awards proceeds will fund The Toy Foundation’s Toy Chest program, which collects and distributes the industry’s toy donations to children worldwide, and Play Fund program, which supports play projects at children’s hospitals nationwide and in disaster zones internationally. To date, The Toy Foundation has delivered play to more than 38 million children, providing immeasurable comfort and joy when they needed it most.
The TOTY Awards served as the kick off to the 120th annual Toy Fair, the largest toy show in the Western hemisphere, where hundreds of exhibitors from around the world share their latest innovations. At the close of the show, more than 100 companies donated toys, games, and other playthings to The Toy Foundation, which will directly impact nearly 27,000 children. The collection was coordinated in partnership with World Vision, which will also distribute the toy donations to qualified nonprofit organizations, schools, and children’s hospitals.
“We collected more than 100 pallets of the latest toys that are guaranteed to create ear-to-ear smiles,” Mastrota continued. “The Toy Fair collection demonstrates the extraordinary generosity of our industry and the powerful difference we can make when we act together.”
The Toy Foundation partners with companies of all types and sizes year-round to collect toy donations, coordinate corporate partnerships, activate cause marketing campaigns, and host employee engagement opportunities. To learn more or get involved in advancing the industry’s collective impact for children in need, contact The Toy Foundation team.
Follow The Toy Foundation on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook for updates and to learn more about the toy industry’s impact delivering play to children in need.
About The Toy Foundation™ toyfoundation.org
The Toy Foundation (TTF) is a 501 (c)(3) children’s charity and philanthropic arm of The Toy Association. The uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry for the benefit of all children in need, The Toy Foundation is dedicated to creating a world where every child experiences the comfort, joy, and extraordinary benefits of play. The Toy Foundation works towards this vision through two program areas, Toy Chest, a toy distribution initiative, and Play Fund, a grant distribution initiative. By working together, The Toy Foundation has delivered the power of play to 38 million children in need worldwide.
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SOURCE The Toy Foundation
