PA Department of Labor & Industry Donates 500 Stuffed Toys to the 26th Annual Holiday Wish Gift Drive

HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) announced today that it donated more than 500 stuffed toys from its Bureau of Occupational and Industrial Safety to the commonwealth's 26th annual Holiday Wish gift drive this season.

"Many people may not be aware of L&I's role of ensuring that only safe stuffed toys are available to children in Pennsylvania," said L&I Secretary Kathy Manderino. "I am proud to announce that we donated hundreds of these toys to the commonwealth's Holiday Wish gift drive."

Since the passage of the Stuffed Toy Law in 1961, L&I has regulated the manufacture of stuffed toys intended for sale or use in Pennsylvania. This includes inspecting all new stuffed toy samples for contents, choking hazards, and general safety. Toys that pass inspection are given a registration number, which can be found on every stuffed toy sold in the state. As a result of this process, the department annually accumulates toy samples.

"Every year, hundreds and hundreds of stuffed toys come into L&I's headquarters in Harrisburg making a few of our offices look a bit like Santa's workshop," Secretary Manderino said. "The Holiday Wish program is an excellent opportunity for the department to put the toy samples that pass inspection to good use and help make the holidays a little brighter for some of Pennsylvania's children."

In addition to the department's donation, Holiday Wish gifts are also donated by commonwealth employees. The gift drive benefited about 200 families and 100 seniors across Pennsylvania this year.

The Holiday Wish program was started in 1989 by a small group of employees from the Department of Human Services (DHS), formerly known as the Department of Public Welfare. Over the years, it has grown to include hundreds of employees in multiple state agencies.

The Bureau of Occupational and Industrial Safety administers and enforces safety standards related to a variety of products including, but not limited to: boilers, building construction (Uniform Construction Code), elevators, flammable and combustible liquids, and bedding and upholstery, in addition to stuffed toys.

MEDIA CONTACT: Sara Goulet, 717-787-7530

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry

Related Links

http://www.state.pa.us