About Metroplex Appraisal Network

MISSION: The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.

GOAL: The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of Toys for Tots are to help needy children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable natural resources — our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to better communities in the future.

The principal Toys for Tots activities which take place each year are the collection and distribution of toys in the communities in which a Marine Corps Reserve Unit is located and in communities without a Reserve Unit that has a Marine Corps League Detachment or group of men and women, generally veteran Marines, authorized by Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to conduct a local Toys for Tots campaign. Local Toys for Tots Campaign Coordinators conduct an array of activities throughout the year, which include golf tournaments, foot races, bicycle races and other purely voluntary events designed to increase interest in Toys for Tots, and concurrently generate toy and monetary donations.

OVERVIEW: Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public charity, is the fund raising, funding and support organization for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. The Foundation was created at the behest of the U.S. Marine Corps and provides support in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding with the Commander, Marine Forces Reserve, who directs the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. The Foundation has supported Toys for Tots since 1991.

GOVERNANCE: Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is governed by a board of eleven directors, all of whom are successful business leaders from throughout the nation. All directors served as U.S. Marines. The Foundation’s professional staff is located in an office suite in the Marine Corps Association building aboard Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia, about 35 miles south of Washington, DC.

PRODUCTIVITY: From 1991–2005, the Foundation supplemented local toy collections with 64.5 million toys valued at $344 million. Concurrently, the Foundation provided over $3.9 million worth of promotion and support materials, which enable local Toys for Tots coordinators to conduct more effective local campaigns.

MISSION: The mission of Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is to raise funds to provide toys to supplement the collections of local Toys for Tots coordinators; defray the costs of conducting annual Toys for Tots campaigns; provide administrative, advisory, financial, logistic and promotional support of local coordinators; provide other support that the Marine Corps, as a federal agency, cannot provide; and conduct public education and information programs, which call the general public to action in support of Toys for Tots.

GOAL & OBJECTIVES: The primary goal and the objectives of the Foundation are the same as those of the overall Toys for Tots program: to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders; to help needy children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable natural resources — our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to improving communities in the future.

The Foundation engages in two categories of activities: Program Services and Support Services.

Program Services — Toy Distribution: This is the process of obtaining and delivering toys to local Toys for Tots coordinators and providing the support and assistance those coordinators need to conduct effective toy collection and distribution campaigns in their communities. Toys are a combination of those purchased by the Foundation and those donated by corporations.

Support of local coordinators: This involves arranging the creation, publication, manufacture and delivery of an array of promotion and support materials to local Toys for Tots coordinators. It includes managing all financial matters for local coordinators as well as updating and publishing a manual for the conduct of local programs. Concisely stated, this activity encompasses providing a wide range of support to approximately 550 local Toys for Tots coordinators and their support groups. Today, there are nearly 20,000 Marines, Marine Corps League members, veteran Marines and volunteers involved in annual campaigns.

Education: The Foundation conducts an annual public information and education campaign. This activity is designed to give the general public a clear understanding of the benefits that accrue to individuals, communities and the nation from Toys for Tots. It increases visibility and name recognition and stimulates the general public to action in support of Toys for Tots. The campaign includes distributing a series of news releases, distributing TV and radio public service announcements, publishing newsletters, arranging media events and appearances, arranging for national corporations to incorporate information about Toys for Tots into their paid advertisements, conducting special events, maintaining a website and distributing educational material about Toys for Tots to the general public.

Support Services — Management and General Activities: This involves accomplishing the spectrum of business management activities necessary to make an organization efficient and effective and to ensure the program and the Foundation operate in compliance with IRS regulations, federal and state laws and charitable standards.

Fund Raising: The Foundation pursues a range of fund raising projects each year. Projects include national corporate sponsors, a direct mail campaign, the Combined Federal Campaign, special events such as golf tournaments; and special projects such as affinity cards and internet donations.

• Ranked #289 in 2001, #267 in 2002, #341 in 2003, #316 in 2004 and #66 in 2005 “Philanthropy 400”
• DMA Nonprofit Federation named Marine Toys for Tots Foundation “Outstanding Nonprofit Organization of the Year” for 2003
• Reader’s Digest, in the November 2003 edition, named “America’s Best Charities” in 12 categories — Marine Toys for Tots Foundation was named “Best Children’s Charity”
• Starburst ranked the Foundation website #9 of the “Top 100 Toy Websites” in 2003
• Included as one of the ten charities on the 2003 Forbes “Gold-Star” list
• Awarded Charity Navigator’s highest 4-star rating (2005–2006)
• Unqualified opinions on audited financial statements (1994–2005)
• Average program-to-support-service expense ratio (1994–2005): 96:4 — and 98:2 in 2005