This month at the AFL-CIO headquarters in Washington, DC, IUPAT District Council 51 Director of Organizing Sergio Perez (third from left) presented a $5,000 check from the Painters and Allied Trades for Children’s Hope Foundation (PATCH) to the Toys for Tots campaign. Also pictured is Lisa Ford (second from right), executive assistant to the director of Helmets to Hardhats.
Toys for Tots began in 1947 when Major Bill Hendricks of the United States Marine Corps Reserve in Los Angeles, California, and fellow volunteers collected 5,000 toys for children to receive at Christmas. It was such a success that, the following year, the Marine Corps expanded it into a nationwide campaign and it has been collecting toys for children ever since.
The IUPAT is a strong supporter of Toys for Tots on the national and local levels. The PATCH Foundation is proud to lend a little more support for the kids who need a happy holiday the most.