Pam Mastrota, The Toy Foundation

Pam Mastrota is executive director at The Toy Foundation. In this edition of The Friday Five, Pam talks about the organization’s Toy Chest and Play Fund initiatives, and shares observations about the changing needs of vulnerable communities.

Our nonprofit partners are turning to us for gifts during the holidays and consistent support throughout the year. The Toy Chest program in 2024 collected $35 million in toys, distributed to three million children in under-resourced communities and disaster-affected areas.

The Toy Foundation’s core mission is to be the uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry. What are the key strategic priorities for the next three to five years to amplify that impact?

The Toy Foundation’s mission to unite the toy industry around a shared philanthropic purpose has never been more critical. Over the next three to five years, we’re focused on four strategic priorities to deepen our impact:

Expanding Access to Play: We aim to dramatically increase the number of children who benefit from the healing, learning, and joy of play, especially those experiencing poverty, illness, or crisis.
Strengthening the Toy Chest Infrastructure: By scaling regional donation hubs and streamlining logistics, we can provide toys to more children’s hospitals and nonprofit partners year-round and improve our ability to respond to disasters quickly and equitably.
Uniting Industry Giving: We will continue to serve as the trusted channel through which the toy industry can collectively make a difference, offering turnkey opportunities for employees, brands, and consumers to give back.

Together, these efforts will help us reach more children meaningfully, while creating a measurable impact for our partners and the industry.

The organization recently announced a strategic rebrand of its Toy Chest and Play Fund programs. What inspired the rebrand?

The rebrand was inspired by the desire to communicate the “why” behind our work more clearly and make it easier for companies and individuals to engage. We heard from partners and supporters that our programs were meaningful but not always understood at a glance.

By renaming and refining our Toy Chest and Play Fund, we’ve made it easier to convey their purpose: the Toy Chest mobilizes in-kind toy donations to deliver joy to children in need, while the Play Fund supports play-based programs at children’s hospitals around the country and nonprofits that use play to promote healing, learning, and emotional well-being.

The new branding helps us better tell how toys transform lives – and how people can be a part of that story.

In what ways have the areas of need for these two programs evolved over the years?

Needs have become more urgent and complex. For the Toy Chest, we see increased demand from children and families in under-resourced communities, affected by disasters, and undergoing medical treatment. Our nonprofit partners are turning to us for gifts during the holidays and consistent support throughout the year. The Toy Chest program in 2024 collected $35 million in toys, distributed to three million children in under-resourced communities and disaster-affected areas.

For the Play Fund, there’s been a growing recognition of the role of play in trauma-informed care, social-emotional learning, and inclusive education. The Play Fund awarded $380,000 to support play-based programs at 20 children’s hospitals, benefitting 240,000 children. We’ve evolved the program to focus on therapeutic play for hospitalized children, accessible play for children with disabilities, and structured play-based learning for underserved communities.

These shifts ensure we’re meeting today’s challenges while staying true to our belief that every child deserves to experience the power of play.

Why is it essential to support and nurture children through play?

Play is not a luxury – it’s a lifeline. It’s how children learn, heal, process the world around them, and connect with others. Scientific research shows that play supports cognitive development, builds emotional resilience, and even aids in physical recovery from illness or trauma.

When we bring play to children who have experienced crisis, illness, or loss, we offer more than a toy – we offer hope, joy, and a chance to just be a kid. That’s why play is at the heart of everything The Toy Foundation does.

How can businesses and individuals support the work of The Toy Foundation?

There are so many ways to get involved!

Businesses can:

Donate toys and games through the Toy Chest
Sponsor or contribute to the Play Fund in alignment with their philanthropic or brand goals
Launch cause marketing or point-of-sale campaigns and employee giving or volunteer initiatives to amplify their impact

Individuals can:

Donate to bring the joy of play to more children
Host a toy drive or fundraiser in their local communities
Advocate and share our mission to help raise awareness

At The Toy Foundation, we believe play is a universal language – and a powerful tool for healing, growth, and connection. There is strength in unity. When the toy industry comes together – through product donations, cause marketing initiatives, and employee engagement – we create meaningful and lasting impact in the lives of children who need it most. Whether you’re a company looking to partner or an individual seeking to make a difference, there’s a place for you in this critical work.

To learn how you can get involved and help bring the power of play to more children in need, please reach out to me at pmastrota@toyfoundation.org. Together, we have a greater impact to serve and support children.

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