The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation has received one of the Pentagon's highest civilian humanitarian honors, an award with deep ties to the military community that includes Naval Base Coronado.

The foundation received the Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher Distinguished Civilian Humanitarian Award at a ceremony in the Pentagon Hall of Heroes on Monday, Aug. 31, according to a press release from the organization. The Under Secretary of the Army hosted the event.

The award, established in 1996 by the Secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force, goes annually to an individual or organization whose service has made an extraordinary difference in the lives of military members and their families, according to the Fisher House Foundation. Recipients' names are inscribed in a legacy display at the Pentagon.

Lt. Gen. James B. Laster, U.S. Marines (Retired), president and CEO of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, called the recognition a shared achievement.

"This recognition belongs to the Marines, volunteers, donors, and community partners who make that promise possible, and it strengthens our resolve to keep it for every child who still needs us," Laster said in the announcement.

The program has grown far beyond its origins. Marine Corps Reserve Maj. Bill Hendricks and his reserve unit in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys in 1947 after his wife, Diane, urged him to find an organization that helped children in need, according to the program's history page. When he couldn't find one, she told him to start one.

Since then, Toys for Tots has distributed more than 732 million toys to more than 325 million children, according to the program's website. In 2025, the program delivered 24 million toys to nearly 11 million children nationwide.

The reach extends locally. The San Diego County chapter distributed 280,013 toys to 210,739 children in 2025. Collection boxes appeared at locations across Coronado during the holiday season.

Beyond the holidays, the foundation operates year-round through its Literacy Program, Foster Care Program and Disaster Response and Recovery Program.

Dates for the 2026 holiday collection drive in Coronado have not yet been announced. Residents can check the Toys for Tots website or the San Diego County campaign page for updates.