Over 300 youngsters received great toys from Second Chance Toys of PA as Head Start celebrated both Earth Day 2009 and "Week of the Young Child" at Head Start headquarters at 440 North Broad Street in Philadelphia on Friday, April 24. A wonderful time was had by all!
The weather was wet but it did not dampen the spirits of the Second Chance Toys of PA family and partners, the Philadelphia Phillies. In celebration of Earth Day 2009, the intrepid SCT squad was on hand at the ballpark to collect toys from Phillies fans. Toy collection boxes were set up at seven entrances to the ballpark and hundreds of toys were collected for local children. Thanks to the Phillies and their fans for helping the environment and local children in need!
For the past two years, teenagers Kyle and Cara Scott and their family have spearheaded the growth of Second Chance Toys of PA. Their grassroots efforts have paid off. Teaming with local families, schools, churches, companies and most recently the Philadelphia Phillies, the Scotts have now recycled over 4,000 gently used plastic toys and distributed them to young, deserving children in our community. It is a win for the environment and for young kids who need and deserve the toys to learn and have fun. Thank you to all who have lent a hand in this labor of love. Four thousand toys is a milestone number, but just the beginning!
Second Chance Toys of PA paid a visit to the seventy-two children at Logan Head Start on Thursday, April 23, and the kids were thrilled. With the transportation help of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, a truckload of great plastic toys were delivered to the children. It was like Christmas in April! Lots of happy faces on the day following Earth Day 2009.
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Fans attending that game are encouraged to bring ‘gently used’ plastic toys in good working condition and drop them off in specially marked bins at seven entrances into the Citizens Bank Park. The toys will be donated to charities and centers for children throughout the community.
The high-profile collection is expected to net hundreds of toys that would have likely otherwise ended up in the landfill. It’s a win for less fortunate children and it’s a win for the environment.
“We are overjoyed that The Phillies share our commitment to helping the environment and kids,” says Kyle Scott, 17, who started up the Pennsylvania chapter of Second Chance Toys with his sister Cara, 16, who adds, “the kids will be thrilled to get toys from Phillies fans.”
Cara and Kyle have donated nearly 3,000 toys to charities since starting the local chapter two years ago. Second Chance Toys frequently enlists the help of local junk removal company 1-800-GOT-JUNK? to transport the toys to children’s organizations throughout the area.
Some of the toys collected will be donated on Thursday, April 23 at 10am at Logan Head Start (
For more information about The Phillies Earth Day toy collection and its organizers, please contact:
Second Chance Toys: Craig Scott (father) 215-990-8615 or email craigoscott@aol.com.
Phillies Contact: Mary Ann Gettis 215-218-5365 or email mgettis@phillies.com
1-800-GOT-JUNK?: Eric Blum: 215 962-5087 or email eric.blum@1800gotjunk.com
Thanks to Marc Brownstein and the fabulous creative team at Brownstein Group Brand Communications of Philadelphia for lending their services to Second Chance Toys of PA in support of upcoming Earth Day toy collections and donations. Have a look at their fabulous designs for signage to promote our organization's efforts to keep gently used plastic toys out of the landfills and get them into the appreciative hands of deserving children throughout our community. THANK YOU!!!
Philadelphia Phillies to hold toy drive at Citizens Bank Park, April 22 pre-game collection (game begins at 7:00P). For details click here
The growing, positive story of Second Chance Toys was broadcast on National Public Radio's Philadelphia radio affiliate WHYY on Christmas morning (listen to enclosed mp3 audio file). The story, by Eugene Sonn, covered the origins of the grassroots initiative and the contributions the effort is making via Second Chance Toys of PA to help so many disadvantaged children and families throughout the greater Philadelphia area and elsewhere!
The grassroots Second Chance Toys of PA initiative is taking off. This holiday season, Kyle and Cara Scott's young organization (barely 2 years in operation) is donating another 1,200 recycled plastic toys to children throughout Bucks County, PA, North Philadelphia and Mercer County, NJ. Donations are being made to 20 Head Start Centers and inner city after school programs in the area. The timing could not be better given the tough economic climate and the growing number of disadvantaged children in the region. Pictured below are just a few of the happy kids and teachers who appreciated the great holiday gifts which would not have been possible without the generosity of so many in our community.
For the 114 kids at Trinidad Head Start, Second Chance Toys of PA has become a good friend. All the children at this North Philly facility received toy donations from Second Chance Toys just in time for the holidays. At a rollicking party on Tuesday, December 23, the kids and their teachers gathered to thank Second Chance Toys of PA co-founders, Kyle and Cara Scott (holding the "Thank You" sign in the rear of the photo) and enjoy their "new" toys which are actually refurbished and recycled plastic toys that look and work "good as new".
Second Chance Toys of PA delivered toys to children at Morrisville Head Start in Morrisville, PA just in time for the holidays! At a special party on Tuesday, December 23, the kids and their teachers enjoyed their new toys and some great holiday snacks too. There were more than enough smiles to go around!
Parents and children from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Cherry Hill participated in a toy drive to support Second Chance Toys of PA toy donations during this holiday season. The effort was part of UUCCH's Religious Education program and was a tremendous success that will benefit lots of local children in need!
Representatives from Johnsville Head Start in Warminster, PA loaded up a bus load of toys for the 90+ boys and girls in their center. The toys are like brand new and are going to make this holiday season a little more jolly for lots of local families who appreciate the helping hand!
The 5th - 8th graders who comprise the Youth Ministry at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Doylestown, PA decided they wanted to help Second Chance Toys with a toy drive of their own this holiday season. The results were astounding! The kids collected and cleaned 637 toys which Second Chance Toys will donate before Christmas to deserving kids throughout Bucks County and Philadelphia, PA. Kyle and Cara Scott who founded Second Chance Toys of PA, met with the kids at Mount Carmel to discuss how their charitable efforts will pay off to help both the environment and so many children who are in need this holiday season. What a blessing!
Thanks to Marisol, Veronica and Daniel Cuellar who gave up their toys to help other kids this holiday season! Every little bit helps and makes a big difference to children in our back yard!
Congratulations to the students at Simmons Elementary School in Horsham, PA and Crooked Billet Elementary School in Hatboro, PA for collecting and cleaning literally hundreds of beautiful toys, large and small, to support upcoming Second Chance Toys of PA toy donations. The toys were gathered during an organized toy drive in October and given to Second Chance Toys on Thursday, October 30 in the school cafeteria. They will be distributed to deserving children in our area in the weeks ahead. Way to go, kids!!
Second Chance Toys of PA teamed up with 1-800-GotJunk for a toy drive at Oxford Valley Mall on Saturday, October 11 in preparation for upcoming toy donations to disadvantaged children in the Bucks and Montgomery County areas. Radio Disney provided the entertainment and a wonderful time was had for dozens of kids and parents who participated.
Kyle Scott, Co-founder of SCT of PA and Eric Blum, Franchise Owner for 1800-GotJunk, man the toy donation table at Oxford Valley Mall.
Kyle Scott and youngster enjoy the festivities at Oxford Valley Mall to benefit Second Chance Toys of PA.
The video can be found by clicking on this link: http://www.wzbntv25.com/WZBN_News_Video_Player.html?dfile=Head_Start_Program_6-16-08.flv
Second Chance Toys of PA announced today that Earth Week toy donations benefited hundreds of children in our area and have helped catapult total donations to more than1,500 toys. Second Chance Toys of PA is a community-based program started by local high-school students, Kyle and Cara Scott, that collects and recycles gently used plastic toys for distribution to disadvantaged children throughout our region.
The Scotts have been collecting toys since the summer of 2007 with donations often provided by families whose kids have outgrown toys that are still in good condition. For Earth Week, many others in our local community also pitched in to help. Toy drives were successfully run by students at Hallowell Elementary School in Horsham, employees of Kulicke & Soffa, Inc. in Fort Washington, and the Brownies of Pine Run Elementary School in New Britain. Eric Blum, local franchise owner for 1-800-GOT-JUNK? (http://www.1800gotjunk.com/us_en/), also volunteered and helped transport collected toys to some of the donation centers. During Earth Week, hundreds of low-income, deserving children in Warminster, North Philadelphia, Pottstown, Mercer County, and Trenton, NJ were the happy recipients of the toys.
If you would like to donate plastic toys to the Second Chance Toys of PA effort, please call 215-990-8615 or email craigoscott@aol.com.
Cara (age 15) and Kyle Scott (age 17), co-founders of Second Chance Toys of PA.
Kyle and Cara Scott with happy Head Start children and lots of “Second Chance Toys” in Warminster, PA.
Smiling kids and caregivers at the pediatric day health center at the Millhouse in Trenton, NJ enjoy new playground equipment from Second Chance Toys of PA.
Students from Hallowell Elementary School in Horsham, PA completed a toy drive to support Second Chance Toys of PA Earth Week toy donations. The program is one of many in the Bucks County area supporting plastic toy rescue and recycling efforts.
If you would like to donate plastic toys to the Second Chance Toys of PA effort, please call 215-990-8615 or email craigoscott@aol.com. 
The Brownies of Pine Run Elementary School (Troop #21237) collected more than 60 gently used plastic toys and gave them to Second Chance Toys of PA for donation to underprivileged children during Earth Week. Second Chance Toys of PA is a community-based program that collects and recycles gently used plastic toys for distribution to disadvantaged children throughout the local region. The local Brownie troop is led by Priscilla Hoke. Pictured are Shelby Hoke, Priscilla’s daughter, with Kyle and Cara Scott, co-founders of Second Chance Toys of PA.
When local high school students, Kyle and Cara Scott, started Second Chance Toys of PA last summer, they knew it was a great idea but did not anticipate how quickly the community would pitch in.
Recently, an employee at Kulicke & Soffa read about Second Chance Toys of PA and decided to engage her fellow employees to help. She immediately presented this concept to the employee activities committee at the Fort Washington, PA-based Company of 2,700 worldwide employees and it was unanimously agreed that participation in this drive was an excellent way for Kulicke & Soffa to help. The company’s activities committee has already begun a campaign and has solicited its U.S. employees to collect gently used plastic toys that Kyle and Cara will be able to donate as part of the Earth Week toy donations they have planned for Second Chance Toys of PA. The K&S U.S. employees committee believes, “An effort like this brings out the best in all of our employees and we are excited about the opportunity to make a real, positive difference for the children. It’s the right thing to do”.
Kyle and Cara decided that Earth Week (April 18-27) was a perfect event for Second Chance Toys of PA to highlight for its next round of toy donations. “The purpose of Earth Week is to heighten awareness of environmental responsibility,” says Kyle Scott, a 16-year-old high school junior at George School, Newtown, PA). “This is a great time to remind everyone to recycle and donate their gently used plastic toys to make lots of deserving children happy.” Kyle’s sister, Cara Scott, a 15-year old high school freshman also at George School agrees. “We are helping the environment while making a lot of kids happy,” says Cara. “We are going to provide great toys to literally hundreds of kids during Earth Week. That is something our whole community should feel good about.”
If you would like to donate plastic toys to the Second Chance Toys of PA effort, please call 215-990-8615 or email craigoscott@aol.com.
Second Chance Toys of Pennsylvania, started by Doylestown-based high school junior Kyle Scott and his sister Cara Scott, distributed over 50 toys today for children at the Bucks County Chapter of Head Start in Morrisville, PA. Receiving the rescued and refurbished toys were 26 delighted children between the ages of 3 and 5 served at the Morrisville Head Start facility led by Director, Marcia Straka. Sharing the toys with the children are Cara Scott (left) and Kyle Scott (right). To donate plastic toys to Second Chance Toys of Pennsylvania, please call 215-990-8615 or email craigoscott@aol.com.
Second Chance Toys of Pennsylvania has been formed by Kyle and Cara Scott
Kyle (16) is in 11th grade (junior) and Cara (14) is in 9th grade (freshman) at George School in Newtown, Pennsylvania.
Kyle plays varsity sports at school, including soccer, basketball and baseball. Cara is a cheerleader and has been active in gymnastics. They both enjoy spending time with their friends and playing with their pets, Emmy (a golden retriever) and Kiwi (a noisy parakeet).
Kyle is involved with various service projects and responsibilities at school. Cara has been active in Girl Scouts and participated in the People to People Leadership Development Program in Washington, DC.
Kyle and Cara note: “We think Second Chance Toys is a great idea because we have the opportunity to recycle toys in an environmentally responsible way for kids who will really enjoy them! We want to make a positive difference and Second Chance Toys is a great way to accomplish that goal. Friends can help too and that can add to the fun!”
To contact Second Chance Toys of Pennsylvania, please email kyle_scott@georgeschool.org or cara_scott@georgeschool.org
