Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) today donated nearly 600 safety-checked plush toys to the 32nd Annual Holiday Wish Program, the Dauphin County Care System, and New Hope Ministries this holiday season . 

According to state law, L&I must inspect the contents, choking hazards, and general safety of all new plush toy samples. Toys that pass the inspection receive a registration number, which is located on every plush toy sold in the state. As a result of this process, the department accumulates hundreds of toy samples every year. In the past five years, L&I has donated nearly 3,200 toys to holiday gift events.   

L&I Secretary Jennifer Berrier said: “All the plush toys come to our Harrisburg office for inspection, and L&I employees consider themselves part of Santa’s Workshop.” “By working with the Holiday Wish Program The Dauphin County Nursing System and the New Hope Ministries provide us with a unique opportunity to provide children with toys that pass inspection, give them a good home, and bring joy to the children of Pennsylvania this holiday season." 

The Holiday Wish project was initiated in 1989 by a small group of employees from the Human Services Department. Over the years, it has grown to have hundreds of employees in multiple departments. 

The families and senior citizens sponsoring the event are determined through caseworkers in the county assistance office, senior comprehensive facilities that provide services to seniors in need, and community action agencies. They list some gifts they want to receive, and then the state employee chooses to sponsor a family or individual. The program will benefit nearly 200 Pennsylvania children this holiday season. 

The Dauphin County Nursing System is a series of organizations and individuals that come together to provide people with the services, support, and resources needed to educate, promote, and improve their lives. The Dauphin County Nursing System is collecting donations of food, basic household items, and toys/gifts for children under 12 years of age. They will distribute these items through the festival dump in Trunk Parade. The program will provide a gift to nearly 1,300 children and teenagers this holiday season. 

New Hope Ministries is a community-based Christian social service organization through crisis aid centers located in Dillsburg, Dover, Enola, Hanover, Littletown, Mechanicsburg, New Oxford and the West Bank Provide assistance to low-income families and individuals. In a typical year, New Hope provided 22,000 people from 9,300 different families with food, housing, utilities, and transportation. New Hope also provides youth programs for children to help them prepare for success in school and life.  

L&I manages and enforces safety standards related to various products, including but not limited to boilers, buildings (uniform construction codes), elevators, flammable and combustible liquids, bedding and interior decoration, and stuffed toys.

Media contact: Alex Peterson, dlipress@pa.gov

Editor's note: Photos and videos of this event will be available on PAcast.com.