The Toy Drive at the San Diego County Fair That Turns Carnival Joy into Real World Kindness

Where Summer Magic Meets a Mission to Give Back

Every summer, the San Diego County Fair transforms the quiet seaside town of Del Mar into a whirlwind of cotton candy, carousel lights, and cheerful noise. For many, it’s a place of lighthearted nostalgia and carefree indulgence. But tucked between the Ferris wheel and the fried food stands lies a tradition that goes far beyond fairground thrills.This is where carnival prizes become instruments of kindness and a child’s moment of fun turns into someone else’s reason to smile. It’s called the Care ‘n Share Toy Drive. And in 2025 alone, it gathered 4,349 stuffed animals for children in need.

A Legacy of Generosity Built One Toy at a Time

Founded in 2009 by the Torrey Pines Rotary Club in collaboration with the San Diego County Fair, the Care ‘n Share Toy Drive is a simple idea with an extraordinary reach. Fairgoers are invited to donate the toys they win at game booths. These toys are collected at exit gates in brightly marked boxes and then distributed to children across San Diego and Baja California.Since its inception, the program has gifted more than 122,000 toys. That’s 122,000 moments of joy delivered into the hands of children facing hardship, trauma or simply the everyday struggles that childhood sometimes brings.But numbers tell only part of the story.

The Little Boy Who Inspired a Crowd

Among this year’s most touching moments was a quiet act that quickly captured everyone’s attention. Program founder Nancy Stoke remembers watching as a young boy approached the donation box with his grandparents. His arms overflowed with plush toys he had won playing carnival games.Without hesitation, he announced, “I want to donate.”He tossed in each toy one by one. Then he took the ones from Grandma. Then from Grandpa. Carefully, joyfully, he deposited all but one of the day’s winnings.Nancy and the other volunteers stood nearby, moved to tears. “It was the third day they had come to the Fair,” she said. “Each day he won prizes, kept one, and gave the rest away.”As the crowd gathered to watch, cheers erupted with every donation. In a place known for lights and noise, what shined brightest that evening was a child’s unprompted kindness.

When a Teddy Bear Becomes a Beacon

The toys collected this year were distributed to a wide range of local and cross-border organizations. Each recipient serves children who are navigating life’s toughest challenges from medical treatment and foster care to military family transitions and homelessness.In 2025, the numbers speak volumes:

• 1,631 toys to the Foundation for the Children of the Californias in Tijuana
• 1,075 to the San Diego Armed Services YMCA
• 836 to STEP (Support the Enlisted Project)
• 317 to the Chula Vista Eastlake Rotary Club
• 300 to Camp Stevens in Julian
• 120 to La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary projects
• 50 to Voices for Children
• 20 to Like Our Own group homes

What each of these deliveries has in common is that the toys are not just objects. They’re comfort. Companionship. A sense of being seen.

A New Tradition for Families Who Believe in Giving Back

What makes the Care ‘n Share Toy Drive special is not only its mission but the way it quietly teaches the next generation about compassion. Donating a prize becomes a small act with lasting meaning not just for the child who receives the toy, but also for the one who gives it.For many families, participation has become a cherished ritual. Year after year, parents and grandparents help children choose which of their fair prizes to share. It’s a gentle lesson in gratitude wrapped in a moment of generosity.These are the values that endure far longer than any game booth high score.

Giving That Doesn’t End When the Fair Does

Although the Fair lasts only a few weeks each summer, the Toy Drive’s impact continues year-round. The program accepts new and gently used stuffed animals through its website, carensharetoydrive.com, where donors can also learn about volunteer opportunities and community partnerships.Whether you are a parent looking to inspire your children or a business eager to support a meaningful cause, the Toy Drive offers many ways to get involved. One bear at a time, the program builds a better world and makes sure no child is forgotten.

Where Real Luxury Meets Real Heart

At Fine Homes and Living, we often celebrate elegance, style, and the art of elevated living. But there is something undeniably luxurious about witnessing a moment of pure human kindness. It reminds us that refinement is not just about the things we own. It’s also about the way we live, the values we pass on, and the care we extend to others.This summer, thousands of fairgoers chose to turn their wins into gifts. They traded fleeting fun for lasting meaning. And in doing so, they proved that even in the midst of spectacle, true beauty lies in the simple act of giving.

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