Oklahoma 4-H teen raises bar with 15,000-toy giveaway

In its largest one yet: The annual 4-H Toy Giveaway organized by Reed Marcum, a 19-year-old 4-H’er from Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, distributed more than 15,000 toys Saturday to children and families in need across Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas.

Marcum and his team of over 100 volunteers distributed toys, clothing, and other essentials to families in a line of vehicles stretching more than 3 miles near the Southeast Expo Center in McAlester.

Marcum launched the annual toy giveaway through Oklahoma 4-H in 2016 — when he was just 11 years old — with a small walk-up event and 1,000 toys donated. Since then, he has worked with his hometown community of McAlester to spread holiday cheer each year and give away more than 64,000 toys to date.

“I noticed that not all of my classmates had school supplies. I wanted to ensure they could get them,” Marcum told AGDAILY. “Then, when Christmas rolled around, I remembered that their families couldn’t afford school supplies, and I wanted to make sure that nobody was left out and that every kid had toys under the tree.”

The first few volunteers Marcum recruited were his family, but soon, other companies caught on and began donating to the cause. More people started showing up to get toys as the word grew. 

“It means so much to make a difference for families going through hard times and see the smiles on kids’ faces when they get the toy they’ve been wishing for all year,” said Marcum. “Our annual toy drive has grown over the years into something that brings people together to support one another and celebrate this season of giving.

It all started because 4-H believed in my potential and helped ensure I was beyond ready to tackle the challenges I saw in my community.”

All together, Marcum’s community service projects have raised more than $3.5 million in funds and donated items. Marcum’s first 4-H service project — the 4-H Book Bag Giveaway — has distributed more than 30,000 book bags to kids of all ages.

After a member of his community lost his life to pediatric cancer, Marcum started the Hudson Strong Foundation, a 501c3 organization which raises funds in support of pediatric cancer research and creates opportunities for other children to feel loved, develop self-confidence, and reach their full potential.

In 2024 the National 4-H Council named Marcum as a winner of the 2024 4-H Youth in Action Awards, which honors 4-H’ers who have used their 4-H experiences to create a lasting impact in their community.

“For almost a decade, Reed’s dedication, compassion and leadership have been a shining example of how 4-H’ers can transform their communities through service,” said Greg Owen, Pittsburg County 4-H Educator and Marcum’s mentor. “Reed’s journey from a shy fifth grader to the accomplished young man he is today is truly inspiring, and I know he will continue to have an even greater impact on his community in the years to come.”

Marcum is currently a sophomore at Oklahoma State University studying pre-law with an emphasis in sociology. He plans to bring his public speaking and leadership experience to the courtroom as a criminal defense attorney.