The state Department of Human Services’ Holiday Wish Program got a boost after the donation of more than 1,000 stuffed toys.

Those stuffed toys are samples of those for sale in Pennsylvania that were deemed safe for children this past year by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry following routine safety inspections.

The samples are accumulated by the department throughout the year and then marked for distribution through the state Department of Human Services’ Holiday Wish Program. 

“This annual tradition reminds us of what public service is truly about: protecting people’s safety while spreading hope and joy to families across Pennsylvania,” said Labor and Industry Secretary Nancy A. Walker. “In times that can feel especially heavy, small acts of generosity can make a big difference.”  

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Under state law, Labor and Industry’s Bureau of Occupational and Industrial Safety must inspect all new stuffed toy samples for contents, choking hazards, and general safety.  

Toys that pass inspection get a registration number, which is on every stuffed toy sold in the commonwealth.  

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Through this process, Labor and Industry accumulates hundreds of toy samples each year. This year, the department delivered a record 1,085 stuffed toys to the Department of Human Services DHS for its Holiday Wish program — a 45 percent increase from last year’s 749 donated. 

Of the donated toys, more than 50 are made of recycled materials. Last year, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an updated Stuffed Toy Manufacturing Act, eliminating a long-standing ban on using recycled materials in stuffed toys sold in the commonwealth.  

Started in 1989 by Department of Human Services employees, the Holiday Wish program has grown to include hundreds of employees in various state agencies, allowing the program to reach thousands of individuals in need around Pennsylvania during the holiday season.  

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