We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alton Thacker. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alton below.

Alton, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

While on a humanitarian trip to Mexico we had a box of little wood toys that were were handing out to children. Cheryl, Alton’s wife, watched a little girl inspect every part of the car and figure out how it worked. Then she put her finger in the window hole and hugged the car and smiled. She said, “Wow! Did you see that?” We need more toys. So we went to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Humanitarian Center and asked them what the need for toys was. They told us that there are over 500 million children in the world who have never had a toy. So we said we need to make toys and we did!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am Alton Thacker. A retired barber from Orem, UT. We started out helping others with humanitarian goals and needs in Mexico. We soon saw that there was much needed and that we could do more. So we started helping out and eventually created a non profit organization to address these needs. At first it was clothing food and medical care for the small border towns of Mexico and the US. Then when we saw the need for toys and we started making toys. At first it was just 400 a year in the garage for us to take on our humanitarian trips. Then others got word and they wanted some for their trips and projects. Still others heard and they just wanted something to do and making toys for kids sounded good. We’ve become a dual mission, helping people who need a way and place to serve, such as single elderly people, special needs adults and more.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

As we got started making toys were were just making a few in our garage. Then we needed more space to do it and had a few friends that wanted to help too. So we bought a larger building and got the permits to be on our own land still, but in a work shop. We had so many people that loved what we were doing and wanted to be part of it that we thought we were really doing a good thing. But the neighbor was having none of it. She had been told she couldn’t have a business on her property because she didn’t have bathroom access and so she didn’t want us to either. She found every thing she could to call the cops or fire department on us. Finally the city had had enough and they told us we had to stop. We were flabbergasted. But there was another mayor from another near by city, who came to us and said that they liked what we did and could we please come to his garage and his city. We sold our home and moved out to West Jordan and have loved being there ever since. As that door closed another opened and it’s been a great blessing.

Any advice for managing a team?

Always say thank you. Nothing I did was more important than all the things that everyone else did. Without all of them there would be nothing. I always say thank you. Helping people feel valued and needed is invaluable. When people walk into the shop the first time they often say, there is a good feeling here. I want them to feel that the first time and every time. Its a fun place to be because of everyone’s great attitudes.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tinytimstoys.org
• Instagram: tinytimsfoundationforkids
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tinytimsfoundation
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tiny-tims-foundation-for-kids
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2SN3MJZPPWne0jSDpcuqjQ

Image Credits
Tiny Tim’s Foundation for Kids all rights have been given to us.