Spreading Joy, Comfort, and Hope: 2025 Quarter Three Impact

Victoria Muhlbach
Oct 21
4 min read

View the full Quarterly Impact Report here:

As we look back on Quarter 3 of 2025, the Children’s Toy Fund, Inc continues to grow in both reach and heart. From hospital toy deliveries to comfort bundles for children entering foster care, every effort this quarter has reflected our mission to bring joy, hope, and comfort to kids facing difficult times.

Through the incredible support of our bingo community and dedicated volunteers, we’ve continued to spread smiles across Northeast Ohio—proving that even the smallest act of kindness can create a ripple of comfort for children and families when they need it most.

Letter from the Director

"Our third quarter at the Children’s Toy Fund was packed with opportunities to bring light and joy throughout Northeast Ohio! We made 15 toy deliveries, partnered with community youth to create blanket bundles for local foster children, and celebrated 30 years of charitable gaming at our Mega Bingo Bash event!

The Mega Bingo Bash in July was one of the highlights of the quarter, where we expressed our gratitude for our amazing bingo patrons and their continued support of our mission. At the event, we welcomed 316 players, served delicious food from the Winking Lizard, and gave away 100 raffle prizes! It was a fun and busy night for all our players and volunteers.

We are thankful for She Elevates and Orrville Middle School’s volleyball team for helping us make 32 blanket bundles. We love any chance to work directly with youth to encourage “kids helping kids” in our area. It is amazing to see the time and care that the youth take in putting these bundles together. The agencies who receive them always affirm how much of an impact is made from the simple gesture of a blanket, stuffed animal, and fidget item. Without young, eager hands, we would not be able to provide them.

As we shift to the final quarter of 2025, we look forward to all the opportunities for giving that come with the holiday season. While we always continue to do our regular donations to provide consistent support to local hospitals and foster care agencies, we look forward to larger donations that will help ensure Santa has every possible item needed to make Northeast Ohio bright this holiday season!

As always, THANK YOU!"

Ashley Natale, Executive Director

Toys Donated

Bar chart showing monthly toy donations: July 1,155, August 2,796, September 761. Light blue bars with white text on a white background.

During quarter three we donated a total of 4,712 toys to our partnered organizations aiding children within our community!

Toys By Category

Donut chart showing toy categories: Sensory 22.7%, Stuffed Animals 18.8%. Total donations: 4,712. Other categories in various colors.

Of the 4,712 toys donated, the majority were made up of sensory items (fidget toys, Needoh, poppers, etc), stuffed animals, toys of popuar tv characters, arts and crafts, and action figures/Barbie dolls. We offer an array of items to best provide comfort and fun to children of all ages, backgrounds, and interests!

Toys By Location

Bar chart showing toy donations per location. Akron Children's Hospital leads with 2125. Various colors represent other locations.

We donated primarily to Akron Children's Hospital and various Aultman Hospitals throughout Northeast Ohio. We also supported our foster care agency friends at Pathway Caring for Children and Project KARE.

Service Projects

Orrville Middle School Volleyball Team poses with stuffed animal bundles they worked on together for a service project. Items were then donated to children within foster care.

During 2025's third quarter, local youth within She Elevates and Orrville Middle School Volleyball Team hand created 32 blanket bundles for foster youth throughout Northeast Ohio. We appreciate the hands willing to make a difference and help spread warmth and hope to youth that need it.

Get Involved

Did you know we come alongside organizations and groups with all the supplies necessary to create bundles? On our own, we cannot create enough blankets to fulfill the need experienced in the community. But together, we can make a difference in the lives of youth. Contact us today to learn more.

Charitable Gaming

Colorful stuffed monsters and bingo cards on a table. A bingo cage and daubers are visible.

In the third quarter of 2025 we played bingo with 5,218 patrons. Over 38 sessions we averaged 137 players per night.

We appreciate each and every bingo player that chooses to spend their evening with us! It is your continuing patronage that allows us to reach the children within our community who need the love, smiles, and support most. It is our sincere hope that, win or lose, each person has a nice evening out filled with laughter, community, and the knowledge that you are helping to give back within your community.

Celebrating 30 Years

It is hard to believe that we have been fundraising through charitable gaming for over thirty years! It was our pleasure to give back to the amazing community that has supported us so well over the last three decades. We were absolutely blown away by the 316 patrons who came out to celebrate the evening with us.

The evening was filled with a yummy meal catered by Winking Lizard, community, smiles, and over 100 door prizes ranging from cash, gift cards, big stuffed animals, and free bingo for both a month or year!

To say that we all had a great time is a huge understatement! Despite the busy evening, everyone was excited to be there and cheered others on. We cannot thank our community enough for - for supporting us over the decades and for being an amazing crowd that we look forward to hanging out with at bingo every week!

Looking Ahead

Marketing Coordinator and Executive Director smiling behind a table of stuffed animals in a room with brick walls and a bingo board. Vibrant colors create a joyful mood.

This year to date, we have donated 13,105 toys and are diligently working to our internal goal of surpassing 20,000 toys for 2025!

We have committed, in addition to our normal ongoing donations, to providing additional holiday centered support to Akron Children’s Hospital, Project KARE, Pathway Caring for Children, and Caring for Kids Inc.

Stay tuned this quarter for “hot toys” for the holidays, ongoing toy drives, and Operation Fluff!

Get Involved

We invite you to join us in making a difference. Whether volunteering your time, contributing to our initiatives, or participating in our events, your involvement is invaluable. Consider attending our bingo nights held every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evening, explore our "Be A Friend" program, engage in service projects, or make a donation to help us continue our mission. Together, we can bring more smiles and hope to children in our community!