HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Toddler of the Year contest is on, and this toddler from Lahaina is looking for your support!
Kash Nguyen is a toddler from Maui who aims to spread joy wherever he goes.
“We live in Kahana, just north of Lahaina. Since the fire, there hasn’t been much to cheer about. But with Kash, he makes everybody smile wherever he goes. So, this is our chance to help make a difference and uplift the community that has been so good to us as we progress through the competition,” the Nguyen family said.
Dan Nguyen, Kash’s dad, added, “We wanted someone to represent Maui, Lahaina and Hawaii. Everybody in town is rooting for him; it’s great to see everyone pulling together and rooting for him.”
The contest helps raise money for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. All donations raised come from the voters throughout the contest. The Marine Toys for Tots provides for children in need and helps spread joy during the holiday season.
“Growing up, I know I’ve had a few toys from Toys for Tots. All of our supporters, some have just voted daily with their free votes, but some are more fortunate and donate to Toys for Tots… we are close to $1,000 in donations. We are pretty proud of that and to give back to Toys for Tots,” Nguyen said.
The winner of Toddler of the Year gets to lead the Hollywood Christmas Parade, star in a national ad campaign and receive a cash prize of $25,000.
After the Lahaina fires that occurred two years ago, Kash and his family have been struggling with the economic and housing impacts.
The Nguyen family was asked what this cash prize would mean for them when they entered the contest.
The Nguyen family responded, “Recently, our town of Lahaina had the historic fire that devastated our town. It has changed all our lives in some way. The housing crisis out here is for real. Tourism has slowed down. Extra cash would be nice to put toward a down payment for a home, so we have more space to grow as a family. Education is also top of the list, so it could help out with Daycare or pre-school. Helping out our community is also big on the agenda. Winnings are nice, but it’s about celebrating Kash as a toddler.”
Kash is currently in second place for his age group, needing support to reach the quarter finals, which start Sept. 1.
“We just want to say thank you to all the supporters from around town of Lahaina that are hopping on board to help Kash win the competition and shed a positive light on our town and bring hope,” Nguyen said.
Check out more news from around Hawaii
Visit the website to vote for Kash and donate to the Marines’ Toys for Tots.