Making Spirits Bright Across the Caribbean: Sandals Foundation’s Largest Toy Drive Brings Joy to Thousands of Children

A major holiday push that reached islands and homes

The Sandals Foundation launched its largest toy drive to date this season, distributing roughly 45,000 toys to children across the Caribbean. Over several weeks, the drive moved from collection points at Sandals and Beaches resorts to community centres, schools and local charities, bringing gifts and holiday events to families who might not otherwise get them.

The campaign covered multiple islands in the region and unfolded in the run-up to the holidays. For many communities, the arrival of wrapped gifts, volunteer-led parties and local outreach teams was a rare chance for families to celebrate together.

How the campaign moved toys from guest rooms to front doors

The operation relied on a mix of on-resort collection boxes, donations from resort guests and employee contributions. Staff at Sandals and Beaches properties helped sort, wrap and pack toys. Logistics teams coordinated transport to local partners and charities that manage last-mile distribution into towns and villages.

Organisers said the drive had a tight timeline. Collection began several weeks before the holidays, with packing hubs set up at selected resorts. From there, toys were palletised and shipped by sea or moved by road to charity partners on each island. Local volunteers and organisers then handled the final handouts at holiday events, schools and community centres.

The Sandals Foundation leaned on a mix of private and community help. Resort staff led volunteer shifts, while local non-profits and church groups helped identify families most in need. Toy-industry partners and regional suppliers supported packaging and transport, and small local businesses pitched in with event space, food or volunteer hours.

Words from people who ran and supported the effort

A Sandals Foundation leader described the drive as both practical and emotional: “We wanted to do more than give presents. We aimed to bring a moment of normalcy and joy to children who’ve faced hard times this year,” the executive said. The foundation framed the effort as a team push across hotels, offices and partner groups.

Representatives from toy-industry partners said they were grateful to play a role. One shipping partner noted the logistical challenge of moving large volumes between islands: “It took careful planning, but seeing the gifts handed to children made every late night worth it.”

Local organisers who ran distribution events spoke about the response in their communities. A community leader recalled long lines of excited children and parents: “For many families, this was the highlight of the season. It brought people together and lifted spirits.”

How families and communities reacted

At distribution events, children received toys and families joined for music, food and games. For families struggling with the cost of basics, organisers said the drive provided more than presents: it offered a sense of welcome and attention from workplaces and visitors who depend on local labour and services.

Charities reported that the toys reached children in a range of settings — from remote coastal villages to low-income neighbourhoods near resort towns. Organisers tracked how many events were held and roughly how many children attended. They also said some partners will keep lists to follow up with families for future programmes, such as reading initiatives or seasonal support.

Beyond immediate joy, local groups said the effort helped strengthen ties between resorts and their neighbours. Volunteers and staff who joined the handouts met community leaders and deepened informal networks that can be useful for future health drives, job training or disaster relief.

What this drive says about tourism’s role in the region

The toy drive adds to a pattern of charitable work by resort brands in the Caribbean. For Sandals Foundation, the campaign underscores a strategy of community engagement that mixes direct aid with volunteerism and partnerships. That approach tends to build goodwill in places where tourism is a major employer and where resorts can have an outsized local presence.

Charitable pushes like this one serve two clear purposes: they meet immediate community needs and they remind residents that resort operators are part of the local social fabric. Organisers said they plan to use lessons from this year’s operation to streamline collection and distribution next season, and to explore year-round programs that support children beyond holidays.

For communities, the outcome was simple and direct: children received toys, families found a moment of relief and resorts showed up in a way that felt visible and useful. For the Sandals Foundation, the drive was a statement that its philanthropic work will continue to be a central part of how the resort group engages with the Caribbean places where it operates.

Sources

• prnewswire.com