The U.S. Embassy Belmopan hosted a Toys for Tots delivery to Marla’s House of Hope Children’s Home this afternoon to provide toys to children staying at the home, organized by the U.S. Embassy’s Marine Security Detachment. The toys were provided to Marla’s House of Hope, which provides safe and nurturing care to girls from infancy to 18 years who have been removed from abusive or unsafe home environments by the Department of Human Services.
Toys for Tots is a program created by the U.S. Marines to distribute toys to children whose families are unable to buy them Christmas gifts. It was created by the U.S. Marine Corps Reservist Major Bill Hendricks in 1947. Major Hendrick’s and fellow reservists collected 5,000 toys for local children from collection bins placed outside movie theaters. Toys for Tots was launched as a national campaign in 1948 and has since expanded across the United States and to countries around the world.
Since the creation of the U.S. Embassy’s Marine Security Detachment on June 22, 2018, the U.S. Embassy has embraced the U.S. Marine Toys for Tots program by collecting toys from the U.S. embassy community for children in need in Belize. The U.S. Embassy is committed to continuing this time-honored U.S. Marine tradition in Belize for many years to come.
