‘Today’s’ 10th annual gift drive

"Today" is pleased to announce that our  tenth annual holiday toy drive was hugely successful thanks to the contributions of viewers and companies. For this special holiday season, $13.5  million worth of toys, books, games, clothing, electronics and  cash was donated from our generous partners to  210 non profit organizations serving 750,000 children and their families nationwide.

The unique drive, which provides gifts for children and teenagers across the country, who might not otherwise receive any, began Monday, December 1 and continued every day through Wednesday December 24th.  So many surprise guests appeared to help us collect donations from our viewers and entertain the crowd during the holiday season. Greetings came from Magic Johnson, Boy George, Jimmy Smits, Jessica Alba, Alex Rodriguez, Martin Sheen, Susan Lucci, Harvey Fierstein, Donald Trump, Reba McEntyre, Colin Firth, Jesse L. Martin, Kevin Bacon, John Spencer, Ruben Studdard, Ashanti, Michelle Williams from Destiny's Child, and others greeted visitors to studio 1-A.

We say thank you to all who took the time to contribute either at our studio or online.  All donations no matter how small are appreciated.  Thank you for joining us to help make the holidays brighter for so many children.

The “Today” show toy drive is a project of the Today Show Charitable Foundation, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible to the extent the law allows.

The recipients

Gifts went to more than 210 children's service organizations serving more than 750,000 children nationwide, from Florida to Alaska. The organizations included: homeless shelters, domestic abuse shelters, schools, after school programs, day care programs, children's hospitals, developmentally disabled preschools, youth centers, native American reservations, victims services, career training programs, local organizations that help parents in need and many other service organizations.

2003 DONORS Our sincere thanks go to the following organizations for their generous contributions: Boyds (www.boydsstuff.com), McGraw-Hill Companies (www.mcgraw-hill.com), Baby Einstein (www.babyeinstein.com), Ty (www.ty.com), Feld Entertainment (www.feldentertainment.com and (www.ringling.com), Macy's (www.macys.com), Encyclopaedia Britannica (www.britannica.com), DK Publishing (www.dk.com), Sears (www.sears.com), Scholastic, Inc. (www.scholastic.com), Cheerios (www.cheerios.com), Mattel (www.mattel.com), Simple Green (www.simplegreen.com), Palisades Toys (www.palisadestoys.com), Ugly Dolls uglydolls.com), Applause (www.applause.com), StudioWorks Entertainment (www.venturadistribution.com), Microsoft (www.microsoft.com), Little Brown Books for Young Readers (www.lb-kids.com), RC2 (www.rc2corp.com), Pampers (www.pampers.com), Small Miracles (www.smallmiracles.net), Sanrio (www.sanrio.com), World Book (www.worldbook.com), Rounder Records (www.rounder.com), Tupperware (www.tupperware.com), Publications International (www.pilbooks.com), Rubbermaid (www.rubbermaidtoughtools.com), Lisa Frank (www.lisafrank.com), Old Navy (www.oldnavy.com), Corgi Classics (www.corgiclassics.com), The Petting Zoo (www.pettingzooplush.com), Hasbro (www.hasbro.com), Eduscreen (www.eduscreen.com), Crest Spinbrush and Crest Healthy Smiles 2010 (www.spinbrush.com), Essence Magazine (www.essence.com), Commemorative Brands, Inc. (www.artcarved.com), United Media (www.unitedmedia.com), Marshall Fields (www.fields.com), Bloomingdale's (www.bloomingdales.com), Daffy's (www.daffys.com), Nickelodeon (www.nick.com), Crest Whitestrips (www.whitestrips.com), Zales (www.zales.com), eBay (www.ebay.com), LEGO Systems (www.america.lego.com), Amazon.com (www.amazon.com), Federal Express (www.fedex.com), Bally Total Fitness (www.ballyfitness.com), Polaroid (www.polaroid.com), Fantastic Sams (www.fantasticsams.com), Lark Theatre (www.larktheatre.org), HSN.com (www.hsn.com), 321 Studios (www.321studios.com), Kay Jewelers (www.kay.com), American Eagle Outfitters (www.ae.com), Precious Moments, NHL, Tonner Doll Company (www.tonnerdoll.com), Helzberg Diamonds (www.helzberg.com), Mets, Charity Bear Company (www.charitybear.com), Marc Jacobs (www.marcjacobs.com), Cackleberries Entertainment Inc (www.cackleberries.com), Jay Jay the Jet Plane Jayjaythejetplane.com!), Universal Studios ), Tiny Tots Sports (www.TinyTotSports.com or (www.BabyBaseball.com), Putumayo World Music (www.putumayo.com), Hallmark (www.hallmark.com), Capitol Records Nashville (www.capitolnashville.com), The Riverside Company (www.riversidecompany.com), Busch Gardens (Anheuser-Busch) (www.buschgardens.com), Krispy Kreme (www.krispykreme.com), Flavas Dolls (www.flavas.com), Underground Enterprises (www.hiphopthegame.com), Alexander Doll Company (www.madamealexander.com), Movin' Out (www.movinoutonbroadway.com), Tinkworks (www.t-ink.com), MoPo Home Entertainment (www.jukeboxadventures.com), Purple Pebble Games (www.purplepebblegames.com), Manhattan Toy (www.manhattantoy.com), Prestige Toy, Barewalls.com (www.barewalls.com), Brainwave Toys (www.brainwavetoys.com), FunRise

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