The Philanthropic Arm of Sandals® and Beaches® Resorts Teams Up with Toy Industry Leaders to Spread Smiles Across Nine Caribbean Islands
MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, Dec. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — This holiday season, the simple joy of opening a new toy is reaching tens of thousands of children across the Caribbean through an annual toy drive led by the Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sandals and Beaches Resorts. With the support of toy industry leaders Spin Master, Jazwares, and The Toy Foundation™, 45,000 toys will be delivered, marking the Foundation’s largest toy drive to date.
“The holidays are about hope, the kind that reassures every child that they are seen, valued, and deeply loved, and we’re incredibly grateful to all the partners and volunteers who have been part of this legacy of giving over the years,” said Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation.
For more than a decade, the Sandals Foundation’s annual toy drive has brought holiday cheer to children across the region, delivering more than 170,000 toys to date. The initiative is part of the Foundation’s broader commitment to uplifting Caribbean communities through education, youth development, environmental programs, and cultural preservation. It remains one of the Foundation’s most cherished traditions — one that strengthens families, brings communities together, and reminds children that their dreams matter.
Guided by the belief that every child deserves moments of wonder and imagination, toys are being delivered across all nine islands where Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts operate: Jamaica, Antigua, Saint Lucia, The Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Grenada, Barbados, Curaçao, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Spreading More Joy, Together
A wide assortment of toys, from Rubik’s Cubes and Kinetic Sand kits to puzzles, games, and plushies designed to spark creativity and emotional connection, were donated by Spin Master’s Toy Movement, an initiative committed to bringing inspiration, imagination, and joy to children everywhere, no matter their circumstances. The Toy Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Toy Association™, which represents more than 900 toy companies, contributed plushies, building blocks, LEGOs, dinosaur figurines, and more. Jazwares Cares, the philanthropic arm of global toy company Jazwares – whose mission is to support children’s health, well-being, and educational development through play – donated 10,000 huggable, loveable Squishmallows plush toys, offering comfort and cheer to children of all ages this holiday season.
More Than a Toy Drive: A Legacy of Community Empowerment
This year’s initiative brings 18,000 toys to Jamaica alone. Capping off a week of giving, yesterday the Sandals Foundation and team members from Sandals South Coast brought together more than 400 children in Whitehouse, Westmoreland, a community still recovering from Hurricane Melissa, for a festive day of music, crafts, storytelling, and treats, complete with appearances by Santa, and a lively crew of Sandals “elves.”
In partnership with Sesame Workshop, the celebration also incorporated playful psychosocial activities featuring beloved Sesame Street characters, helping children explore emotions and build coping skills following the storm. The event concluded with the distribution of toys, ensuring the magic of the season reaches families when it is needed most.
About The Sandals Foundation:
The Sandals Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States, a CTA registered charity in Canada and registered charity – Charity Commission England & Wales that was created to continue and expand upon the philanthropic work that Sandals Resorts International has undertaken. It is the culmination of over four decades of dedication to playing a meaningful role in the lives of the communities where the resorts operate across the Caribbean. The Sandals Foundation funds projects in three core areas: education, community and the environment. One hundred percent of the monies contributed to the Sandals Foundation go directly to programs benefiting the Caribbean community. To learn more about the Sandals Foundation, visit online at www.sandalsfoundation.org or follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About Jazwares
Jazwares, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is a leading global toy manufacturer with a robust portfolio of owned and licensed brands. Founded in 1997, Jazwares celebrates imaginative play with a progressive focus on identifying new and relevant trends to transform into high-quality products for consumers of all ages. Jazwares engages consumers through innovative play experiences with popular brands such as Squishmallows™, Pokémon™, Hello Kitty™, Star Wars™, Disney™, and BumBumz™. In addition to toys, offerings include virtual games, costumes, and pet products. Headquartered in Plantation, Florida, Jazwares has offices worldwide and sells its products in over 100 countries. For more information, visit www.jazwares.com and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook.
About Spin Master
Spin Master Corp. is a leading global children’s entertainment company, creating exceptional play experiences across its three creative centres: Toys, Entertainment and Digital Games. With worldwide toy distribution, Spin Master is best known for award-winning brands including PAW Patrol®, Melissa & Doug®, Bakugan® and Rubik’s® Cube, and is the global toy licensee for other iconic properties. Through its in-house entertainment studio, the company creates and produces captivating multiplatform content including powerhouse preschool franchise PAW Patrol, along with other original shows, short-form series and feature films. With an established presence in digital games anchored by Toca Boca® and Piknik™, Spin Master engages close to 60 million active users monthly in open-ended, creative and safe play. With 29 offices spanning nearly 20 countries, Spin Master employs more than 2,500 team members globally.
About The Toy Foundation
The Toy Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) children’s charity and philanthropic arm of The Toy Association. The uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry for the benefit of all children in need, The Toy Foundation is dedicated to creating a world where every child experiences the comfort, joy, and extraordinary benefits of play. The Toy Foundation works towards this vision through two program areas, Toy Chest, a toy distribution initiative, and Play Fund, a grant distribution initiative. By working together, The Toy Foundation has delivered the power of play to 36 million children in need worldwide. To learn more and support The Toy Foundation, visit toyfoundation.org.
Media Contact:
mediarelations@uvi.sandals.com
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SOURCE Sandals Resorts International
