John Theissen and TD Bank team up

As part of its "Bring Change" campaign, TD Bank in North Wantagh will serve as a designated hub to support the John Theissen Children’s Foundation. On Friday, Sept. 2, TD is inviting people to participate in a community fundraiser event to support the organization. In addition to the community donation, TD will make a contribution.

TD is partnering with communities across their footprint to support people and organizations that are making a real, local difference. The Bring Change campaign is designed to address neighbors in need. The initiative focuses on such issues as homelessness, food shortages and services for those with special needs.

The John Theissen Children’s Foundation (JTCF) was founded in 1992 as a non-profit organization with the goal of bringing toys to sick and underprivileged children in hospitals and child-care facilities. Since then, the JTCF has collected over 920,000 new toys, as well as contributed therapeutic and recreational equipment to children in need.

John’s foundation was inspired following a period of hospitalization for a brain tumor at age 17. During his stay, he befriended a young girl named Tasha who lacked a strong support system and rarely had visitors. John’s family cared for Tasha and accompanied her to the yearly children’s hospital holiday party, despite John’s illness preventing his attendance. During the party, Tasha used her one request to Santa Claus on John; she wished he had a teddy bear. Her generous spirit was the inspiration behind JTCF.

In 1992, John held the first toy drive for the JTCF to benefit children in local hospitals during the holiday season. He collected over 800 hundred new toys in just two weeks.

Donations have enabled the JTCF to provide televisions, video game systems, electronics, arts and crafts supplies and more to children throughout the years.

Funds from the TD Bank Bring Change campaign will be used to benefit the Back to School program, which supplies children in need with new materials for the school year. In addition to monetary donations, the JCTF will also be accepting school supplies as part of their effort to stuff the WOW Van for School Supplies during Friday’s Bring Change event.

Donations will be accepted between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the bank, located at 1200 Wantagh Ave.