RIDLEY-THOMAS APPLAUDS COUNTY TOY LOAN PROGRAM

 

  NEWS

                                         Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas

                                                                              L.A. County Board of Supervisors, 2^nd District

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

April  24 , 2009                                                                                                                 Contact:             Aurelio Rojas  James Bolden

                                                                        213-974-2222           213-200-5314            

                                                                                           

RIDLEY-THOMAS APPLAUDS L.A. COUNTY DPSS'S TOY LOAN

PROGRAM’S OUTREACH TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

 

Facing economic woes, use of the program has increased 33 percent in a year

 

LOS ANGELES -- Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas today praised the Department of Public and Social Services’ Toy Loan Program and announced a partnership with the department to identify sites in underserved communities in the Second District during these financially-challenged times.

 

The Toy Loan Program is a free service which allows children to borrow a toy once a week from one of its designated Toy Loan Centers, in the same manner books is borrowed from public libraries.  The program is a voluntary community effort sponsored in part by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and DPSS. It’s is the oldest and most unique free-toy lending program in the United States. 

 

“This type of program provides an opportunity for children to learn about values and responsibility,” Supervisor Ridley-Thomas said.  “At the same time, they will be able to enjoy playing with toys and books that they might otherwise not have access to.”

 

 The partnership, the Supervisor said, will include the April 30 opening of a new Toy Loan Center at the Mount Carmel Recreation Center in the Second District.

 

Over 30,000 children are served annually by the various services offered by the program.  According to DPSS Director Phillip Browning, the department has witnessed a 33 percent increase in the number of children borrowing toys from the 51 countywide locations.

           

“I am pleased that we can continue to provide this critical service to the children of Los Angeles County.  DPSS is committed to reaching out to families during this period of economic uncertainty,” Browning said.

 

While the program depends on monetary and toy donations from the public and private sectors, the County of L.A. provides a location for the program’s headquarters and a truck to collect and deliver toys.  Toys are sorted, cleaned and repaired if necessary, at the headquarters, then distributed to the various centers.  At any given time, there are approximately 45,000 toys in circulation and at the headquarters facility.

 

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