The Happy Factory named because of the happiness it brings to the volunteers and the children who receive their sturdy wooden toys is a charitable service center. They create toys to reach children in need throughout the world. Volunteers, ranging from senior citizens to troubled teenagers, handcraft toys from scrap hardwood donated by local cabinet companies. So far over 733,000 toys have been made and delivered to 120 countries. The Happy Factory’s motto is “We may not be able to make a toy for every child in the world that needs one–but we’re going to try!”
The Happy Factory founders Donna and Charles Cooley have learned that toys are not simply playthings, but tools to unlock a child’s imagination and to help him cope with the world around him. Children who experience trauma often learn to suppress their pain and fear by turning off their minds to escape. A toy triggers the imagination and creates feelings of ownership, hope, and love.
From its tiny roots in Cedar City, Utah, in 1995, The Happy Factory has grown to include over 30 satellite branches, most of which are mom-and-pop garage wood shops. Toys are donated locally to hospitals and crisis centers, and internationally to orphanages, schools, and churches. Our hobby has turned into a full-time labor of love!