Rick’s Toybox helping children impacted by war

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Rick’s Toy Box Inc, a non-profit toymaker has teamed up with a local synagogue to offer some aid and hopefully a little joy to children in Israel; it’s part of a bigger effort to help those in-need overseas.

Rick’s Toy Box has sent wooden toy cars to children in other countries including Ukraine.

Rick Brunner, the founder of the organization, says he hopes to bring a little joy--a bright distraction-- to children who have the devastating reality of living in a war-torn area.

“It’s maybe a moment where it’s going to pull them away from a bad situation and give them an opportunity to get them zoned away from that bad situation and they become maybe a child for a brief time,” said Brunner.

Rabbi Michoel Feinstein and Rick’s Toy Box teaming up to make a difference in any way they can.

“When everybody saw what had happened in Israel about a month ago, of course, everyone felt horrible and wanted to help,” said Michoel Feinstein, a Rabbi at Chabad of Bay Area.

The Israel-Hamas conflict is complex and ever-changing, but Rabbi Feinstein and Rick Brunner say they’re humbled to help those in need.

“Being that we are always looking to add in goodness and kindness and make the world a better place, we have now the opportunity to those who are especially in need,” said Rabbi Feinstein.

This Sunday at 5:30PM, the Chabad of the Bay Area will have a gathering to collect donations. They’re asking the community for blankets, coats and other new cold weather items to send over to Israel - along with the toy cars from Rick’s Toy Box.

Rick says this project popped up last Friday. He’s hoping for more monetary donations this week help to send hundreds of cars to children in Israel.

Rabbi Feinstein says they hope to send more clothing and blanket donations to Israel before Hanukkah - while they also pray for the war to be over so pain and suffering on both sides can end.

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