Car-Mart accepts donations of toys for children in hospital
by November 6, 2022 10:50 am 573 views
Rogers-based America’s Car-Mart Inc. has kicked off its 14th annual Holiday Toy Drive for 25 children’s hospitals. The goal is to collect 30,000 toys to give to children who are in the hospital over the holidays.
“It’s a season of giving, and America’s Car-Mart is working hard to make a difference in our communities,” said CEO Jeff Williams. “We are proudly continuing our tradition of conducting our holiday toy drive so we can deliver holiday cheer to thousands of children in the hospital during the holiday. At Car-Mart, we believe there’s purpose in what we do, and every day we come to work to do all we can to help our customers and our communities.”
Until Dec. 3, donations of new, unwrapped toys will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday at all 154 Car-Mart dealerships across 12 states.
“Just thinking of children in the hospital over the holidays is heart-wrenching,” said chief operating officer Leon Walthall, who started the toy drive in 2009. “So, it’s this visual that inspires us to rally together to help these kids.”
Car-Mart is partnering with multiple companies to support the toy drive. Car-Mart auto hauler KBecks Transport, document/hard drive destruction service provider Shred-it and automotive parts retailer AutoZone will collect toys and donate money to purchase toys.
“It’s been a challenging year for many of us, and our amazing associates can’t wait to deliver the toys to the kids,” Williams said. “We hope the toys we collect can bring joy to children this holiday season and throughout the year.”
In 2021, the company collected 22,200 toys. Because of the number of toys donated by Car-Mart through its annual toy drive, hospitals are still handing out toys to children, according to senior director of marketing T.J. Pike, adding that Arkansas Children’s has a toy shop where toys are kept and handed out to children and child family members throughout the year.
“It is unfortunate, but children are sick and going into the hospital all year,” Pike said. “To know that our toy joy is being extended beyond the holidays and throughout the year is extra special to us here at Car-Mart.”