Hips – and toys – don’t lie, the excitement is growing for the Toy of the Year® (TOTY®)
Awards, hosted by The Toy FoundationTM (TTF). Taking place Friday, September 29 at Cipriani’s 42nd Street to kickoff Toy Fair®, the TOTY Awards will roll out the best of the best as it’s a night to celebrate the very best in the toy industry. Featuring an exclusive performance by three-time Grammy Award winner and “Hips Don’t Lie” songwriter, Wyclef Jean, the celebration will also name the top toys, people, and campaigns in the toy industry, pay tribute to industry icons, and feature a one-of-a-kind auction. The best part, the night is the ultimate fundraiser that supports TTF’s work to deliver the extraordinary benefits of play to children in need.
I got to get an exclusive interview with Wyclef and Pamela Mastrota, Executive Director at The Toy Foundation ahead of this years Toy Fair New York. September 30 – October 3, 2023
Jacob K. Javits Center | New York, NY
The Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards are a celebration of the creativity and philanthropy of the toy community. Hosted by The Toy Foundation™, TOTY is YOUR night of fun, fanfare, and fundraising to support children in need.
The Toy Foundation (TTF) is a 501 (c)3 children’s charity whose mission is to provide philanthropic support and the vital commodity of play to children and families under stress and in dire situations, across the country and globe.
OUTLET: Gotham Geek Girl
Wyclef Jean
- How did you first become involved with The Toy Foundation and fundraising campaigns in the toy
industry?
Giving back to the community and inspiring the next generation has always been a priority of mine.
As a child, musical play was incredibly important in shaping who I am today and when The Toy
Foundation reached out and shared their mission to unite the toy industry for the benefit of children in need I was immediately on board. I’m excited to support their work in bringing the power of play to all children to inspire, comfort, and help them find their own voice just as play helped me find mine. - You have been recording, producing, hosting, and composing for some of the biggest names in
production, including Netflix, Showtime, Google, and your own podcast “RunThatBlack.” Can you
tell us how you blend your musical influences with your philanthropic passions? How do you come
up with specific music for specific genres, can you expand upon which shows you have
collaborated with and what your influences were?
I incorporate my philanthropic passions into my music however I can. That primarily happens in my
lyrics where I hope my words inspire and positively impact the next generation.
In the last few years, I’ve been busy recording, producing, hosting and composing. I launched a
podcast in 2020, RunThatBack, where I interviewed will.i.am, Carlos Santana, Common, and other
musicians, discussing our latest projects and what inspires us. I’ve also been the composer for
Showtime’s drama, The Chi, created by the amazing Lena Waithe. I also just hosted the Caribbean
Music Awards, which was a night of pure joy. - You are involved with many children’s focused charities such as Feeding America, and also
participate in many humanitarian efforts including aid to your native country Haiti. How do you
find which suitable programs to donate to, and/or provide charitable services? How did you get
involved with politics?
I’m passionate about working with charities and organizations that give back to the local community and support children. When The Toy Foundation reached out to me and shared all the ways play can positively impact a child, and thinking about children who don’t have access to play, I immediately wanted to do what I can to help the cause. The Toy Foundation has delivered play to more than 31 million children around the world and I’m looking forward to performing at their annual fundraising event to help get the toy industry excited and involved to grow their collective impact.
Pamela Mastrota, Executive Director at The Toy Foundation
- Can you describe your greatest success as a fundraiser?
My greatest successes are when companies or individuals come back wanting to do more. We
want all our partners to be equally passionate about the cause and an active participant in the
mission we’re looking to achieve.
The Toy Foundation’s mission is to be the uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy
industry for the benefit of all children in need. In addition to monetary contributions, we hope to
collaborate with companies year-round through engagement opportunities, activations, toy
donations, and more. Success is when the companies want this too.
- The Toy Foundation delivered play through three program areas, The Toy Bank, Play Grants,
and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Pipeline Program. Can you tell us about what each program
provides?
The Toy Bank is the toy industry’s turnkey corporate social responsibility and inventory
management solution for product donations. Since 2003, The Toy Bank has delivered the
extraordinary benefits of play to more than 31 million children around the world.
The Toy Foundation funds Play Grants to children’s hospitals that serve communities of greatest
need, as well as in response to emergency situations. We have a network of national and
international network of children’s hospitals, NGOs, and nonprofits that allows us to respond
quickly and creatively to further the toy industry’s philanthropic impact for the benefit of children
around the world.
The Toy Foundation works with a network of colleges and universities across the country to
attract diverse, young talent to career pathways in the toy industry. Our student pipeline
engages toy industry professionals across business sectors, career levels, and personal
backgrounds to illustrate the variety of exciting career opportunities and place students in
internship and first-hire positions. - How do you find partners and communities to work with?
We aim to serve the communities of greatest need with a high poverty rate and Medicaid
population. Additionally, we support communities dealing with a humanitarian crisis, such as
war or natural disaster.
In finding nonprofit and NGO partners, we look for those who will help advance our mission and
better serve these communities. Many of our partners are local children’s nonprofits who are on-
the-ground supporting children every day. Additional partners we may find through the help of
our Board of Trustees, partners within the toy industry, and nonprofit partners. - How can people get involved with The Toy Foundation and how do The Toy Awards come into
play in regards to philanthropy and The Toy Foundation?
The Toy of the Year Awards are a critical fundraiser that supports The Toy Foundation’s work to
deliver the extraordinary benefits of play to children in need. All proceeds from the event,
including award nominations, ticket sales, sponsorships, and onsite donations, support our
program areas. The night is also an opportunity for the entire toy industry to come together and
make a difference through play in the lives of children.
An easy way for individuals to get involved and support our mission is to donate at
ToyFoundation.org/donate. A step further, one can also host their own fundraiser, such as a lemon-aide stand, or create an employee giving opportunity within your office to help raise additional funds. Volunteering is another great way to get involved. We don’t have any opportunities at the moment, but we can connect you with our local nonprofit partners who are working toward the same mission of delivering play to children in need.
Toy of the Year® Awards Featuring Grammy-Winning Artist Wyclef Jean
The Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards are a celebration of the creativity and philanthropy of the toy community. Hosted by The Toy Foundation™, TOTY is YOUR night of fun, fanfare, and fundraising to support children in need.
Friday, September 29, 2023
Cipriani 42nd Street, New York City
6:30 p.m. – Welcome Cocktail Reception
7:30 p.m. – Awards Ceremony
9:30 p.m. – Wyclef Jean Performance
Tickets are currently sold out.
THE TOY FOUNDATION’S TOY OF THE YEAR (TOTY) AWARDS RECOGNIZE THE TOP TOYS, GAMES, AND LICENSES ACROSS 17 CATEGORIES OF PLAY.
This year’s finalists were selected by a panel of judges comprised of play experts, journalists, academics, retailers, and other toy experts, who considered each nominated product’s creativity and originality; design and quality; and play value.
Gotham Geek Girl 