IKEA Donates to Toys for Tots

donated “thousands” of its plush toys and children’s books to the U.S. Marine Toys for Tots program as part of the company’s Soft Toys for Education Campaign.

The store’s campaign, according to a release from IKEA, is a donation-matching initiative in which the store will donate one euro (approximately $1.35)  to UNICEF and Save the Children for ever soft toy purchased in the store. The benefit runs through December 24.

According to the release, the company has donated over $47 million since the campaign’s inception in 2003.

“IKEA is pleased to donate soft toys to the U.S. Marine Toys for Tots program to help increase their holiday gift to children in need in our Greater Philadelphia area,” commented Lisa Christiansen, Store Manager for IKEA South Philadelphia, said in a release.

The U.S. Marine Toys for Tots program collects new, unwrapped toys from October through December each year, and distributes these toys as holiday gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted. Conshohocken IKEA store manager said that the company’s donation was important due to flooding at the charity’s warehouse this past summer.

“The heavy rains affected us all somehow and IKEA is happy to help. We hope our cuddly soft toys will bring joy to many children and make them feel special and remembered,” he said in a statement.