Toys for Troops, NFP

WELCOME!
This project originated from my blog, www.gnightgirl.blogspot.com. It is a project born from word-of-mouth, love, support, and the kindness of hundreds of people that read an idea and said "let's do it." It is your project.

You have my undying gratitude and love.

- Lori Stewart (Champaign, Illinois)

IMAGINE...
A child, sleeping with tiny hands wrapped around a stuffed animal tossed to him by a gigantic, gun-toting U.S. soldier, clothed in helmet, boots, green fatigues.

That same soldier. 60 pounds of gear on his body, exhausted after a 3-day mission in 117-degree heat. The dust, he writes home, is the consistency of powdered sugar. It's everywhere. And "Mom," he says, "the kids love the beanies. Send all you have. The guys are asking for them."

A parent's love for their child is universal. If your son, your daughter, Your Soldier can toss a beanie baby or a soccer ball to a child in the midst of war, fear, and chaos, and make that child laugh with glee, then his mother smiles also.

Even if world leaders can't come to terms, we can still shake one another's hands, hand a few toys to their kids, and put smiles on their faces. I hope you'll join us.

May 2008

SOLDIERS' ADDRESSES NEEDED

Happily, as of May 2008, most of the soldiers on our first year's mailing list have completed their tours in Iraq, and come home. While we have a few replacement names, we now need to regenerate our mailing lists. Help spread the word! If you know of anyone that can use some beanies or a care package, please, forward their names to us, or ours to them!

SPECIAL THANKS

Sam's Club recently begifted Toys for Troops with a cash donation of $1000. This gift will help us send almost 4000 beanie babies, and/or other items to soldiers in Iraq. Many thanks to Sam's for their generous donation.

HOMEFRONT HEROES
We at Toys for Troops are proud to have been recognized as a Homefront Heroes at the Illinois State Capitol, on December 11, 2007. I accepted the award from Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn at a press conference, and closed my speech with these words: "I'm incredibly proud and blessed to have stumbled into a project that can provide an avenue for people to actually make a difference." From the letters that have come in from around the world, I'm certain we are doing just that. Thank you, a million times thank you.