More Do-Gooding

(Thanks to Asha Dornfest and Parent Hacks for this amazing story.)

Edmay Mayers -- a member of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and currently stationed in Iraq -- is collecting stuffed toys to distribute to Iraqi children.

The children here love the stuffed toys – I can hardly keep up with the cost of them – I am continuously ordering more and more from Oriental Trading Company and candy for the young ones too. If there is any way at all please have any and all sent to me at the address listed below and I will ensure that the children in Iraq receive all that is sent.

Does your child have more stuffed animals than they know what to do with? Are they sitting on a shelf or at the bottom of a toy box? If so, please consider sending them to Edmay at the following address:

Edmay Mayers
USACE - GRS
APO AE 09331

That is all there is --- it will reach me and I will give them to our PSD teams who will be more than happy to give them to the children. Please see attached photo of some of the children here that were given candy and stuffed animals on the road. These are the poorest of the poor here in Iraq - down the back roads. They are precious, innocent little ones who are just caught up in all the mess - they are beautiful.

Not only is this a wonderful cause, this is a wonderful teaching opportunity for parents of older kids. These children are not our enemies. We are not at war with them. Box up some toys and candy together and send a little happiness and joy to a child who is probably more familiar with poverty, sadness and fear.

You can read more about Edmay and her passion for the Iraqi children here. More photos of the children are here. And spread the word if you can.
 

Comments

[Kristen]

I just tore through the house last weekend and dumped our kids' excessive amounts of stuffed animals into a trash bag, which is still sitting at the bottom of my stairs (much like your tire) because I haven't known what to do with it. Now, I have an easy answer. Awesome.

[domestic slackstress]

Now I won't auction off our three kids' nicest, gently used stuffed animals like I planned to this weekend.Keep up the good work. www.8centimetersdeluded.blogspot.com

[Asha]

Wonderful post -- thanks so much, Amy.

[Edmay Mayers]

These beautiful little children here in Iraq will probably never be able to thank you for what you are doing for them so I will do that for them -thank you so much. They get such a wonderful gleam in their eyes when they are given these toys - Thank you a million times over. /Edmay

[Dana]

My five-year-old has severe allergies and can only have like, two stuffed animals. We have a huge box of them, some brand new with tags, downstairs. I didn't want to throw them away because they were given to us by people who love my son - but this is an awesome way to distribute them. Liam would be happy to know that they'd still be loved, probably more. Thanks for the info.

[Jerilyn]

Seriously? There is a place where the hundreds of stuffed animals gifted unto my children can be sent and will be put to good use and will make other children happy? I am all over this! I don't care what the postage costs, I will be shipping large boxes of like-new stuffed animals to Edmay Mayers. I love these win-win situations :-).

[C Winters]

I have tons of new stored stuffed animals and beanie babies that belong to my now college grad daughter. I/we would love to donate them to the Iraqi children. Anyone please tell me if EDMay is still accepting donations!

Thank you, look forward to a reply form anyone

[Rosalyn]

How can I send my gently used toys to Iraq?

[Edmay Mayers]

I am back in Iraq and would love to have boxes of toys, clothes, school supplies or whatever items sent to me again so I can get them distributed to the children of Kirkuk, Iraq in the North.

My address is:
Edmay Mayers
USACE - GRN
FOB - Warrior - Kirkuk
APO, AE 09359

I will be here in Kirkuk for at least a year but hopefully two. Thanks and God bless. /Edmay

[christian louboutin]

*This was an age of innocence and happiness.