Article originally appeared in Beverly Press (www.beverlypress.com)

casa_toy_deliveryThe National Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Association and the Toy Industry Foundation partnered on April 5 to provide 50,000 new toys to children in the Southern California foster care system.

More than 125 volunteers sorted and packaged toys donated by supporters of the Toy Industry Foundation, such as Mattel, Leapfrog Enterprises, Funrise Toy Corporation and Women in Toys. National CASA is a network of community-based programs that recruit, train and support volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children in court.“[The] event was a fantastic success, and the impact these toys will have on the lives of foster children throughout California is indescribable,” National CASA CEO Michael Piraino said.