When I was coming up in the toy industry there was only one trade show worth mentioning: New York Toy Fair—and it was an extravaganza. Anyone who was anyone was walking the halls of the historic Toy Building. Good or bad—those days are long gone. Today there are myriad trade shows to choose from. Each one supposedly serves its own purpose: some are for the mass market, some for the specialty market, some for international markets; yet I see many of the same buyers at all of them. The one common link between these shows is the proverbial water cooler discussion, “Are trade shows even necessary anymore?”

The Toy Industry Foundation (TIF) continuously strives to put smiles on the faces of children in need. This holiday season will be no exception, when TIF and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) launch the winter festivities with their largest toy distribution to date.