TacoTime donates toys to center aiding homeless families

3,150 award-winning TacoTime children’s paper trains contributed to Boise donation center

Operation Love Center in Boise, Idaho, was surprised with a toy donation from TacoTime. In early March, the donation center, which collects food, clothing and other items for families in need, received 3,150 award-winning children’s toys from the quick-service Mexican food concept.

TacoTime donated their “Fiesta Freights,” which are paper build-a-train toys included in the children’s Fiesta Friends meal bags from January to March 2009. The Fiesta Freight toys were recently honored with a 2009 silver ADDY Award from the Kansas City Ad Club. After the toy giveaway ended, an overrun of the build-a-train paper toys remained. TacoTime’s corporate office and franchisees agreed it would be a good idea to buy back the cases and donate them to children in need.

“TacoTime has been a part of the Boise community for 41 years. We feel that by supporting neighborhood charities, we’re able to give back to a community that has supported us for so long,” says Kevin Gingrich, Brand President of TacoTime. “And because TacoTime is a family restaurant with so many locations within the Boise area, donating to the Operation Love Center was a natural fit.”

The build-a-train toys come in four distinct designs, Pedro’s Engine, Spike’s Taco Car, Rosie’s Flat Car and Dill’s Caboose. The Fiesta Freight collection of toys can be assembled to create a full paper train, complete from engine to caboose. These toys can be traded, mixed and matched to make several lengths and designs of trains.

About TacoTime®

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, TacoTime® has been an industry leader in quality quick-service Mexican food for over 50 years. Founded in 1960, TacoTime has grown to nearly 400 franchised restaurants across the U.S. and Canada. In 2003, TacoTime became part of Kahala Brands™, one of the fastest-growing franchising companies in the world with a portfolio of 20 quick-service restaurant brands.