The Salvation Army Partners with Mattel to Help Rescue Christmas with a Donation of 200,000 Toys for Children in Need
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Dec. 3, 2020) The Salvation Army is expecting an overwhelming 155-percent increase in need for holiday assistance this season due to COVID-19, and Mattel has stepped up in a very big way by delivering 200,000 toys valued at more than $2 million to help us #RescueChristmas for millions of individuals and families.
Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. The donation of more than 200,000 toys is part of Mattel’s “Global Gift of Play” program, the Company’s annual effort to give back to communities during the holidays through in-kind donations and employee volunteerism.
“If anyone understands how important a joyful Christmas is to each and every child, it is the wonderful folks at Mattel,” said Commissioner Kenneth G. Hodder, National Commander of The Salvation Army. “Mattel’s donation is the single largest contribution of toys to The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree this year, and it will help us bring joy to thousands of children in need.”
Among the new toy donations—valued at more than $2,000,000—will be some of Mattel’s most popular brands including Barbie, Hot Wheels and Mega Bloks. The toys will be delivered to Salvation Army centers across the United States for distribution among the more than 5,000 communities in which The Salvation Army serves.
The Salvation Army Angel Tree began in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1979 and annually provides toys to more than one-million children across the United States.
The Salvation Army provided holiday assistance to 2.64 million people in 2019. The organization expects the number to increase by as much as 155% in 2020 due to the health and economic impacts of COVID-19. Just since March, The Salvation Army has provided more than 100 million meals, 1.6 million nights of safe shelter, and emotional and spiritual support to over 865,000 people.
Members of the public can get help or give help at RescueChristmas.org.
Support local children through the Angel Tree with a donation at The Salvation Army bin in most Walmart stores, or completely online at WalmartAngelTree.org.
Additional ways the public can help include:
- Enlist in Love’s Army with a sustaining monthly gift of $25 per month
- Donate digitally with Apple Pay or Google Pay at Red Kettle partner storefront locations
- To help ensure the safety of bell ringers, donors and partners, The Salvation Army has adopted nationally mandated safety protocols
- Ask Amazon Alexa to donate by saying, “Alexa, donate to The Salvation Army,” then specify the amount
- Give any amount by texting “KETTLE” to 91999
- Donate physical gifts in bulk
Each donation gives help and hope within the community of the donor.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army annually helps more than 23 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country. In the first-ever listing of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country’s largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood.