Kidzz Helping Kidzz Toy Drive and Child Hunger Initiative

Fall-ing Into Toy Drive Season with Kidzz Helping Kidzz

It’s that magical time of year again. Pumpkin spice is in the air, sweaters are making a comeback, and the Kidzz Helping Kidzz crew is gearing up for another legendary toy drive. 

For 2025, our goal is ambitious (and just a little bit sparkly): to deliver over 10,000 brand new toys to brighten the lives of children and youths between the ages of 2 - 17 at St. Michael Medical Center, Seattle Children's Hospital, Swedish Medical Center, Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, St. Joseph Medical Center, and St. Anthony Hospital. These toys bring joy to children spending the holiday in the hospital, as well as to those visiting emergency departments and outpatient clinics. Since our first toy drive in 2016, we’ve delivered over 53,000 smiles, and we’re not slowing down anytime soon.

The Great Toy Collection Box Makeover

Before the toys - come the boxes. Huge thanks to St. Michael Medical Center and United Moving and Storage for donating warehouse and storage space this year. Without them, we might still be surrounded by mountains of wrapping paper and tape rolls.

Our Toy Collection Box Decorating Parties were an absolute blast. Armed with wrapping paper, poster, and rolls (and rolls… and rolls) of tape, our Advisory Board children and their friends transformed 130 plain cardboard box units into glittering works of art.

The sound of tape being pulled was practically a soundtrack, interrupted only by bursts of laughter, children climbing into boxes, and triumphant cheers as each masterpiece was completed. After hours of teamwork, our crew stood proudly among a sea of 130 beautiful toy drive boxes ready for action. These boxes will be distributed Monday, November 17, to business, schools, churches, and county offices across Kitsap County

Join in on the fun by visiting our Contribute page to find a site near you to help fill these boxes with joy.

Advisory Board Presentation for North Kitsap PTSA

This fall, Kidzz Helping Kidzz Advisory Board had the incredible opportunity to present to the North Kitsap PTSA, sharing our mission, impact, and plans for the 2025 toy drive.

The presentation highlighted our upcoming toy drive and ongoing efforts to address food insecurity in the community. Board members shared that, since 2016, Kidzz Helping Kidzz has donated over 53,000 toys to children spending time in hospitals, bringing joy and comfort during the holidays.

They also shared recent successes in tackling childhood hunger, including food drives and backpack programs, illustrating how youth-led action can make a meaningful difference. The PTSA audience was inspired by the Advisory Boards' leadership, creativity, and dedication, demonstrating that young people can drive real change in their communities.

Shoutouts and Sparkles

And speaking of inspirational, Kidzz Helping Kidzz once again took home first place in the Kitsap Kid's Dentistry, Smiles for Kitsap Program. Kitsap Kid's Dentistry has a heartfelt mission to be a supportive neighbor in Kitsap County. Because they love and raise their families here, they proudly launched the Smiles for Kitsap program to raise $1500.00 and help a local non-profit make a difference.

When we saw we were in third place with just 54 votes on September 28th, our youth team sprang into action! Within 24 hours (and after a flurry of texts, emails, and calls to our biggest fans), we skyrocketed to 127 votes, securing first place by a landslide.

Our $1,500 prize will go directly toward bringing holiday magic to children spending Christmas in the hospital. A heartfelt thank you to Kitsap Kid's Dentistry for making smiles happen, both literally and figuratively. 

We are incredibly grateful to the Puyallup Tribe of Indians for their generous grant of $2,200 to Kidzz Helping Kidzz! This amazing support will make a significant impact on our upcoming food drive and toy drive, helping us reach even more families and children in the Puget Sound region.

The Puyallup Tribe of Indians is a sovereign nation dedicated to creating a vibrant, prosperous community, investing in economic development, job creation, environmental protection, and cultural preservation. Their commitment to the community shines through, and we are so proud to partner with such a compassionate organization.

With this grant, we can continue our mission of youth-led initiatives, collecting brand new toys for children's hospitals and food donations for food-insecure families. Thank you, Puyallup Tribe, for helping us inspire a culture of kindness and mutual support.

Bananas, Fruit, and Big Hearts

Our young changemakers don’t stop at toys. They’re also tackling child hunger head-on. Today, we teamed up with our amazing friends at the Bremerton Backpack Brigade, a nonprofit providing weekend food to children in need across Bremerton’s eight elementary school districts. 

Food insecurity is on the rise in Kitsap County, and the BBB currently supports 700 families every week. Today, our Advisory Board members packed 198 backpack units, a whopping 1,500 pounds of food, filled with kid-friendly items like fruit, veggie, milk, and juice. This food drive backpack program ensures no one goes hungry.

Tomorrow, school staff will quietly deliver the backpack units to students, who return them on Mondays so the process can start again. It’s kindness in motion, literally. We thank every volunteer and the community for helping us contribute to this cause.

As the holiday season approaches, we’re reminded that generosity, laughter, and teamwork can turn ordinary days into something extraordinary. Thank you to our volunteer, partners, and community for helping Kidzz Helping Kidzz make this season brighter for thousands of children. 

With our Advisory Board leading the way and community partners by our side, let’s make 2025 our most heartwarming and joy-filled year yet. Consider how you can donate today!