Lottery News

Wallingford, CT / December 9, 2024 – The Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CLC) is hosting its 11th Annual “Give a Child a Toy, Not a Ticket” Holiday Toy Drive to help bring joy to kids at Yale New Haven Health facilities, while also spreading the Responsible Gambling message that lottery tickets are not suitable gifts for children. This year’s toy drive runs through January 3, 2025 and all toys collected will be donated to Yale New Haven’s Toy Closet, which provides age-appropriate toys to kids who visit their facilities year-round.

“This holiday season, CLC is delighted to spread cheer through our Holiday Toy Drive, helping brighten the lives of children in our community,” said Frank Suarez, President and CEO of CLC. “As you plan your holiday giving, we’d like to remind everyone that, while lottery tickets make fun gifts for adults, they are not appropriate for kids.”

Over the last 10 years, CLC has donated more than 30,000 toys to programs such as the Toy Closet. The hospital uses toys to engage, distract and motivate patients, so having the right items is critically important. In total, the yearly need for donated toys is great—upwards of 80,000—ranging from a simple deck of cards or matchbox car, to the more substantial, tablets and video games. 

“Yale New Haven Health and Yale New Haven Hospital would like to thank the Connecticut Lottery Corporation for its continued thoughtfulness and generosity,” said Beth Heinz, SVP Women’s & Children’s Services, Yale New Haven Hospital.  “We are very appreciative and grateful for all of the acts of kindness and compassion afforded our families and patients through the 11th Annual ’Give a Child a Toy, Not a Ticket’ Holiday Toy Drive.” 

Since 2008, the CLC has partnered with the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University and the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) during the holidays to promote the message that lottery tickets are not suitable gifts for children.

If you or someone you know is affected by a gambling problem, please call the CT Council on Problem Gambling’s Helpline at 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org for more information.

About the Connecticut Lottery Corporation:

The Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CLC) is a quasi-public state agency with the mission to generate revenue for Connecticut consistent with the highest standards of good public policy and social responsibility. In fiscal year 2024, Lottery players won more than $1 billion in prize money and Lottery Retailers earned $88 million in commissions. At the same time, the CLC provided $387 million to support the valuable services and programs funded by the state’s General Fund including public health, libraries, public safety, education and more. Since the Lottery began in 1972, its contributions to the General Fund have exceeded $11 billion.

The CLC reminds the public that Lottery purchasers must be 18 or older, and players must be at least 21 to place sports wagers. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org.

For information about the CT Lottery, stop by any CT Lottery retailer, visit ctlottery.org, join us on Facebook (facebook.com/ctlottery), Instagram (Instagram.com/ctlottery), X (x.com/ctlottery), or call (860) 713-2700. 

About Yale New Haven’s Toy Closet Program:

The goal of the Toy Closet Program is to provide each pediatric patient with an age-appropriate toy or small gift when they are discharged from Yale New Haven Children's Hospital. Toys are given out 365 days a year. 

This year, the Toy Closet Program supplied more than 150,000 toys to locations in our hospitals, Emergency Departments and Pediatric Specialty Centers from Old Saybrook to Greenwich. Your donations help make that possible. 

Toy donations may be accepted via in-person drop-offs at the hospital. Call 203-688-5717 to schedule a convenient drop-off time. You may also purchase toys from this registry. Toys can be ordered from a suggested wish list and will be shipped directly to the Toy Closet. We also welcome monetary donations to the Toy Closet Program. For information about making a financial contribution, please call 203-688-5717 or send an email to auxiliary@ynhh.org.