In June 1997 the Corporate Volunteer Council of Racine (CVCR) began looking for a new partner for its Christmas Giving Tree Program. The Giving Tree program, established in 1990 provides new Christmas gifts for local children in need through the donations of CVCR member companies. CVCR while wanting a more “hands on” approach for its program needed an established community organization for guidance in qualifying recipients and gift distribution logistics. They turned to the “long-running and much-admired” Tex Reynolds Toys for Tots program, located at 800 Center St., Racine, for help.

Operating since 1929, the “Toys for Tots” program has volunteers working year-round collecting, cleaning, and repairing donated toys and then dispersing them to local families in need during the holiday season. Their guidelines for registering/qualifying recipients and then distributing gifts mirrored the needs of the CVCR Giving Tree Program. Under the leadership of Don Karkow, “Toys for Tots” President, and Kay Dawson, then CVCR Giving Tree Chairperson, the partnership was formed and the groups are currently celebrating their 13^th consecutive season together.

Both “Toys for Tots” and the CVCR Giving Tree maintain their own identities and remain two separate entities. Each program is managed by their respective organizations but have benefited greatly from the collaborative effort. For example, the majority of the 1100 new CVCR gifts purchased this year will be clothing items. This resulted from the ability to individually register each child by name, age, size, etc., and seeing first-hand the quality (new and like new) and mass quantity of toys being distributed by “Toys for Tots”. The programs working together now fulfill an even greater collective need.

In addition, CVCR members have helped recruit volunteers for the “Toys for Tots” program infusing new talents and energy. A number of CVCR representatives are currently serving on the “Toys for Tots” Board of Directors, which enhances communication between the two organizations and enables the continuance of these exemplary community programs.

For more information about the Giving Tree or “Toys for Tots” programs, please contact Jacqueline Boudreau, Director of Chamber Programs at 262-634-1931, x23 or e-mail jacque@racinechamber.com.