Several companies have stepped up donations to the Salvation Army after nearly $2-million worth of toys were stolen from one of the charity’s warehouses.
When company Spinmaster Toys heard about the theft, the company immediately began working out the details for a large donation.
Company vice-president Harold Chizick said Spinmaster was giving “$100,000 in toys to the Salvation Army for two reasons: number one, to hopefully get the spirit of giving started so that other companies step up and two, to help chip away at this $2-million loss.”
And as word of the theft spread, more companies stepped up to give.
Hasbro Canada pledged to donate $250,000 in toys to CTV’s Toy Mountain. All the gifts collected by CTV during the Toy Mountain drive will be given to the Salvation Army.
“Hasbro’s mission is to make the world smile. Especially around the holiday season this is something that we always want to see happen,” said Hasbro’s Marisa Pedatella. “It’s so unfortunate that so many children, obviously this would have been depriving them of that, … we’re just thrilled to put that smile back on their faces.”
But the theft at the Salvation Army warehouse has not prompted increased donations from everyone.
While large companies donated, some individual donors said they’re feeling less inclined to give and are skeptical over where the donations end up.
From outside Toronto’s Eaton Centre, shoppers and pedestrians shared their feelings with CTV Toronto.
“When you donate something, you want to make sure it’s going to the right cause,” said a male resident.
But one pedestrian said the theft won’t discourage her from giving to the organization.
“I think this one person who’s done this, shouldn’t spoil it for everybody else,” she said.
Meanwhile a full police investigation into the theft at the charity’s Railside Road warehouse is underway.
During a press conference Wednesday, Salvation Army spokesperson Maj. John Murray said an internal investigation into the missing donations was launched after a whistleblower called attention to missing toys in August.
He stressed that anyone thinking of donating to the charity should consider the theft an isolated incident.
“We have no reason to believe this happened anywhere else. We believe that it’s been very specific, it’s been targeted, it’s been strategic in the way that it’s been put together,” he said.
Murray said the organization considers each and every donation made to the Salvation Army as “sacred.”
With a report from CTV Toronto’s Colin D’Mello