U.S. Embassy Community Delivers Christmas Toys to Needy Children in Panama

The U.S. Marines Toys for Tots Program collected over 1,000 Christmas gifts for disadvantaged children in Curundú, Chorrillo, Tocúmen & Coclé.

U.S. Ambassador to Panamá Phyllis Powers accompanied the Embassy’s U.S. Marine Detachment to deliver toys to children in need in Curundú where children gathered at a Christmas celebration and received a new toy. The U.S. Embassy community at large supported the Marines annual tradition of collecting toys for needy children at Christmas through their “Toys for Tots” program. This year, the Toys for Tots program brought more than 1,000 toys to children throughout Panamá City and underserved areas of Coclé.

“I am so pleased that through the U.S. Marine Toys for Tots campaign, the Embassy community rallied together to collect more than 1,000 toys this Christmas for such deserving young Panamanians. Seeing the children’s faces light up when they opened their gifts was a strong reminder of the importance of giving back and the spirit of Christmas,” said Ambassador Powers.

In Panamá city, the U.S. Marines from the U.S. Embassy selected three non-governmental organizations (NGOs) dedicated to improving the lives of socially vulnerable Panamanian youth to receive this year’s toy donations.  The NGO’s selected were Juntos Podemos/ Together We Can in Curundú, Movimiento Nueva Generación in Curundú and El Chorrillo and the Creo en Milagros Center in Tocúmen.

“This initiative is an extension of our Embassy People to People efforts to help create stronger communities and safer streets by supporting organizations that provide young people with secure and constructive environments, and allows us to show our gratitude to these NGO’s who are working hard towards this worthy goal,” Powers continued.

Since 1947 the Marine’s Toys for Tots program has delivered millions of new toys and spread a message of hope to children in impoverished communities around the globe.