Annual Toy Party gala celebrating 20 years of philanthropic work in metro Atlanta

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – What started as a tiny holiday dinner party amongst friends has exploded into the must-attend gala event of the holiday season, boasting hundreds of guests.

This year, the annual Toy Party that gives back to kids in need is celebrating 20 years of philanthropy.

The nonprofit For the Kid in All of Us hosts their annual Toy Party the first weekend in December. Over the last 20 years, they’ve collected more than 72,000 toys for kids in need. They do this through toy drives and their annual party where they ask guests to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the event.

The toy drive began as a casual friends holiday dinner, many of them members of the LGBTQ+ community who didn’t have a family to go home to.

“Most of the people who came to the dinner had a story about the toy they brought and why they chose that toy,” said Brian Garcia, For the Kid in All of Us. “Some of the guys would bring Barbies, some of the girls would bring G.I. Joe’s.”

Today, that little dinner party is a massive Atlanta fan favorite collecting thousands of toys each year.

“It’s funny, now is our event you will see people bring a red wagon and it is filled with toys. So, it really is what you like to go shopping for, something that goes back to your childhood,” said Garcia.

Tickets are still available for this year’s Toy Party, which is happening Sunday, Dec. 3 at the Biltmore Ballrooms in Midtown. The main event begins at 6 p.m., with VIP admittance beginning at 5 p.m. Ticket information can be found here.

For the Kid in All of Us doesn’t just give in December. They give all year long. Another big donation drive they hold happens in July. It’s their Backpack in the Park event where they collect school supplies for those in need.

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