Toys for Tots Aims to Combat 'Summer Learning Loss'

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Jun 23, 2023, 12:00 ET

QUANTICO, Va. , June 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Marine Toys for Tots foundation is proud to announce they're providing disadvantaged children with the tools and educational resources they need to help prevent what education experts call "summer learning loss."

Through their special initiative – Smiles for Today, Hope for Tomorrow – Toys for Tots has partnered with non-profit organizations across the country to deliver truckloads of books, educational materials, toys, and intellectually stimulating games to less-fortunate boys and girls.

"Our mission is to provide crucial support for at-need children beyond the holiday season," said President and CEO James Laster.

"We want to reassure underprivileged children that they are valued, full of potential, and most of all, not forgotten. Their needs aren't seasonal, and for that reason, neither is the work we do at Toys for Tots."

For millions of American school children, the advent of summer break marks the beginning of fun, excitement, camps, and continued opportunities to learn, grow, and develop their young minds.

However, for too many children, it marks the beginning of isolation and detachment from critical educational resources. The intellectual and social nourishment provided by daily life at school disappears. Theirs is a summer of regression, and unfortunately, a lost opportunity to learn and grow.

Education experts have long warned against the scourge of summer learning loss – namely, the regression and outright loss of what was learned during the previous school year. While this learning loss can affect all children regardless of socio-economic status, studies consistently show that children from middle- and upper-income families are far less susceptible, and in many cases, actually improve their reading and comprehension skills during summer vacation.

Disadvantaged children, however, consistently show a troubling regression. They lose crucial academic skills and knowledge during the summer months. This often traps them in a cycle of poor performance, bad grades, and lost opportunities to maximize their potential and lead happy and productive lives.

According to Laster, Toys for Tots is determined to combat summer learning loss and help disadvantaged children thrive.

"This is just one more way we're working to empower children year-round – giving them gleaming smiles for today, and hope for a brighter future tomorrow."

Media Contact:
Ted Silvester
VP Marketing and Development
(703) 649-2021
[email protected]

SOURCE Toys for Tots