CHICAGO (November 25, 2024) – The Illinois Lottery is bringing holiday magic to hundreds of Illinois families this season by hosting a toy drive at Rockford’s premier holiday celebration, Stroll on State. This year’s Illinois Lottery Holiday Toy Drive will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Rockford, helping to provide gifts for families in need.
The toy drive will take place during the Dasher Dash 5K on Saturday, November 30, 2024, at Beattie Park, located at the intersection of Park and Wyman Streets in Rockford. The event will run from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., with Rockford’s own 97ZOK broadcasting live, adding to the festive energy with music and holiday cheer.
For the first time, the Illinois Lottery is partnering with GoRockford to bring this special event to life. “We are thrilled to partner with the Illinois Lottery to bring such a festive and meaningful Toy Drive to Rockford,” said Kristen Paul, GoRockford’s Executive Vice President.
“The Illinois Lottery’s sponsorship of the Dasher Dash 5K has allowed us to keep race fees affordable, and the addition of the toy drive makes this an ideal opportunity to give back to the community. It’s especially meaningful that the donations will stay local, and the Illinois Lottery’s generosity will double the impact,” added Paul.
To spark the spirit of holiday giving, each adult who donates a new, unwrapped toy will receive an Illinois Lottery Holiday Instant Ticket, with a maximum of five tickets per participant.
“We’re honored to host our holiday toy drive in support of the Boys & Girls Club of Rockford,” said Harold Mays, Illinois Lottery Director. “By coming together as a community, we can help bring joy to local families in need. To double our impact and bring even more holiday cheer to Rockford this holiday season, the Illinois Lottery will match toy donations from the community.”
The toy drive builds on the Illinois Lottery’s ongoing partnership with the Boys & Girls Club’s Power Hour after-school program, which provides children with homework support, tutoring, and enriching learning activities.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Illinois Lottery for their commitment to our community and for bringing joy to our kids this holiday season,” said Chip Stoner, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Rockford. “Their generous donation of toys will make a lasting impact, creating special memories and bringing smiles to so many children and families we serve. Partnerships like these are invaluable in helping us fulfill our mission, and we thank the Illinois Lottery for their continued support.”
The Illinois Lottery’s Holiday Toy Drive and partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs highlights its dedication to supporting education and communities across Illinois. Since 1985, the Illinois Lottery has contributed more than $25 billion to support K-12 education in the State of Illinois.
Be Smart, Gift Smart this holiday season. Lottery tickets make great gifts from adults to adults. Never give lottery tickets to a minor. For more information on how to gift and play responsibly, please go to illinoislottery.com and visit our Responsible Gaming pages.
About the Illinois Lottery
The Illinois Lottery, founded in 1974, has contributed over $25 billion to the State’s Common School Fund in support of K-12 public education in Illinois since 1985. The Common School Fund is the Illinois Lottery’s primary beneficiary, receiving nearly 99% of Illinois Lottery proceeds. The Illinois Lottery also supports various specialty causes as described in the Illinois Lottery Law (20 ILCS 1605/21.4). For more information about the Illinois Lottery and the causes we support, please visit IllinoisLottery.com.