Donor gives $25,000 to Chicago Toys for Tots to cover funds theft

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill., Dec. 20 (UPI) -- An anonymous donor wrote a $25,000 check for the Chicago chapter of Toys for Tots Tuesday after a former volunteer allegedly embezzled about that much.

The alleged embezzlement has been under investigation for eight months, but no charges have been filed. Detective Carl Michalski of the Bridgeview, Ill., police says the investigation is ongoing.

Each Christmas, the charity buys and collects around 20,000 toys and distributes them to disadvantaged children across the Chicago area and suburbs. George Fortier, Toys for Tots Chicagoland president, said the alleged theft meant thousands of kids might not get a present to open on Christmas.

Donations of toys and cash increased after word of the theft surfaced Monday and on Tuesday the generous unnamed donor handed the charity's treasurer a $25,000 check in memory of former Chicago Bears quarterback Sid Luckman, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Another donor gave $1,000 in toys.

"The children that we couldn't help will now be helped," said Janet Malpede. "It's absolutely amazing how many people have responded -- they believe in what we are doing."

Toys for Tots started in Los Angeles in 1947 and is run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Due to the lack of funds, the charity cannot answer many of the letters it receives from struggling families and institutions.

"It's tough," says Tom Dertz, vice president of the charity. "These are people that often don't have anything."