LAFAYETTE, Indiana – Franciscan Health in Western Indiana received a generous donation of toys from the Toys for Tots program during a gathering on Dec. 22 at the Franciscan Health Lafayette East campus.

In total, 8 full boxes of toys were received that will be distributed to children inside the emergency department at Franciscan Health Lafayette East, Franciscan Health Crawfordsville and Franciscan Health Rensselaer as well as the Franciscan Health Family Birth Center Lafayette, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Lafayette and Franciscan Physician Network Pediatric offices in Western Indiana.

This is the fourth year that Franciscan Health has received a donation from Toys for Tots and marks one of the larger amounts of toys the ministry has received in that time.

“We are always very grateful and humbled by the Toys for Tots delivery at Franciscan and the joy it brings to so many children,” said Julie Smith, director of development for the Franciscan Health Foundation in Western Indiana. “Receiving these gifts shows that the spirit of giving is alive and well, especially during the Christmas season. The impact this donation has on our younger patients and their families is very heartwarming.”

The Toys for Tots program was founded in 1947 and is operated by the United States Marine Corps Reserve.

Learn more about the Toys for Tots program online.