Celebrating Twenty-Five Years of Our Holiday Toy Drive

This month marks twenty-five years of spreading holiday cheer through Blackbaud’s annual holiday toy drive. What began in South Carolina in partnership with Toys for Tots has since grown to support children in need worldwide – creating a remarkable Blackbaud tradition along the way.

It’s hard to picture what 677 million toys look like, but that’s roughly how many gifts Toys for Tots has distributed since its start in 1947 by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. This outstanding impact helped first draw Blackbaud to Toys for Tots in 1999, and I’m proud that our Blackbaud team continues partnering with them and alongside our friends at WCBD News 2 in Charleston, South Carolina, home of our global headquarters.

Over the years, Blackbaud employees have gifted more than 136,500 toys globally – teaming up with partners around the world in addition to Toys for Tots. This includes SickKids in Canada, CaringKids in Australia, Hospital Nacional de Niños in Costa Rica, Local Buyers Club Winter Toy Campaign in England, and more.

Showing up for our communities – and the entire social impact ecosystem – has always been central to who Blackbaud is as a company. It takes on even more importance as we better understand the state of giving and volunteering, through research published by the Generosity Commission. Even with overall dollars raised increasing through transformational gifts and donations from high net-worth individuals, data reveals a decline in the number of everyday givers and volunteers.

Through both dedicated corporate initiatives and more informal efforts, companies of all sizes can engage as integral and impactful members of their communities. Pitching in during the holiday season is truly a gift we at Blackbaud, and so many others in the business community, are proud to give each year. We know that small acts of generosity can go a long way in helping communities around the world.

Happy holidays and see you in the new year!

Mike Gianoni, President, CEO and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Blackbaud