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About Us
What is the Price of a Smile?
That is a question that Alton Thacker, the man who started Tiny Tim’s Foundation for Kids, often asks people when they wonder why he founded this charity in 1996. Tiny Tim’s Foundation for Kids is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization built around the dream of bringing a smile to as many children’s faces as possible.
When a child plays with a toy, it sparks their imagination. They learn to think for themselves. They begin to explore the possibilities around them. Unfortunately, there are 500 million children around the world who have never had a toy; those children most likely never will have a toy. Tiny Tim’s Foundation for Kids believes that those 500 million children deserve a reason to smile.
That is why Tiny Tim’s Foundation for Kids builds and delivers 125,000 toys every year to needy children around the globe. These toys have been delivered to many countries including; Zimbabwe, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ghana, Thailand, Korea, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, the Dominican Republic as well as needy children inside the United States. They are also sent to hospitals where patients can play with and keep them; including Primary Children’s and Shriner’s hospitals.
Wherever they have been sent, the same story returns. They bring smiles to the children’s faces and cultural, linguistic, and social barriers fade away.
We have been a 501(C)3 since 1996. Our ID is 87-0572647
Everyone Loves to Make a Child Smile
Tiny Tim’s Foundation for Kids is based in West Jordan, Utah. It is a locally based organization that works within the community to help make a difference in the world. More than 100 retired men and women devote their time to helping make these toys on a daily basis. In this sense we have a dual mission is giving these people a way to give back and continue to have purpose.
Boy Scouts, youth groups, and religious organizations and special needs adults are among the many that have chosen to donate or volunteer their services.
We also have smaller operations at the prisons in Gunnison and Point of the Mountain Utah where inmates earn the privilege of paining toy cars and get to, some of them for the first time in their lives, do something for someone else.
Alton Thacker
A Legacy
Alton and Cheryl Thacker started something small. They had no idea where it would go and just how many people they would impact.
They co-founded Tiny Tim’s Foundation for Kids in 1996 after making several trips to northern Mexico with a group of Utah eye doctors who collected used eyeglasses and traveled to Mexico to fit them to people who needed them but could not otherwise afford them. On these trips Alton noticed that many children in these poorer parts of the country did not have toys, and he decided to do something about it. He enjoyed woodworking, so he started making wooden toy cars to give to children in Mexico on his next trip there with the eye doctors. That first year he and his wife, Cheryl, made about 400 toy cars in their garage.
From those humble beginnings, Tiny Tim’s Foundation for Kids has grown to building more than 100,000 cars a year with help from more than 1,000 volunteers each month and has given away more than 1.7 million toy cars in more than 110 countries around the world.
Cheryl helped bring the sewing and kit making into the picture as well. Over 500 school kits and Hygiene kits go out every year. Over the years they have made thousands of quilts, and dresses and shorts.
Clearly what they started is needed. That's a lot of people spending a lot of time making toys, blankets and clothes and giving them away.
Alton spent the last 28 years bringing joy to countless children and bringing people together from all walks of life to join him in his cause. He was fond of saying, “If you want to be happy, do something for somebody else.” We are proud to carry on his legacy and committed to ensuring that for generations to come Tiny Tim’s Foundation for Kids brings smiles to children’s faces and provides a place where everyone in our community can come to find happiness of their own.
Please help us keep this amazing legacy, that started with just two people wanting to help where they could, going.
About Us
Our Team
Our History
Our History
Our amazing team of regular and part-time volunteers are committed to helping others. We take our convictions and turn them into action, or toy cars. As a nonprofit we provide service and charity opportunities for individuals and groups who know you can't put a price on a smile. Think you would be a good fit? Get in touch for more information!
Our History
Our History
Our History
What is the price of smile? Over 500 million children throughout the world have never had a toy. We started our nonprofit over 20 years ago making toy cars and have made over 1 million. We don't intend to stop until we've reached our goal. We take wood that would be wasted, someone's time that would be wasted and make a toy so a little person's mind won't be wasted.
Our Mission
Our History
Our Mission
We take wood that would be wasted, Someone's time that would be wasted and make a toy so that a little person's mind won't be wasted.
Every child deserves a toy and every person needs a purpose. Together we engage each other in love and charity to serve and make toy cars for someone who needs a smile. We all need each other. As a nonprofit we are committed to making a difference.
Pi and Service Night
What do Pi and Service have in common?
They're never ending!
Come enjoy pizza, Pie and service on this fun, little recognized holiday!