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ollar bills rained from the ceiling, a sold-out crowd roared in approval, and a livestream lit up with donations as Portland’s stripper and burlesque community made holiday history.
The 15th annual Tatas for Toys fundraiser raised more than $60,000 in a single night, pushing the event’s lifetime total past $250,000 for Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
Held at the Alberta Rose Theatre, the four-hour, telethon-style variety show blended pole performances, burlesque, comedy, live music, and auctions—while encouraging both in-person guests and online viewers to give generously.
From a Wagon of Toys to a Quarter-Million Dollars
Founded in 2011 by comedian Aaron Ross, the very first Tatas for Toys raised just $500, enough to fill a small wagon with gifts. Fifteen years later, that modest start has turned into one of Portland’s most successful grassroots charity events.
“We’re number one!” Ross shouted alongside co-host and dancer ToX!c, leading the crowd in a chant celebrating the milestone.
“Everybody put so much hard work into this show—volunteering their time, sharing their stories, and showing real vulnerability,” ToX!c said in an interview with The Oregonian.
Ross put it more bluntly elsewhere: “It’s all in a day’s work. Everything we’ve done over the years led to this.”
Pasties, Poles, and Purpose
Roughly 30 performers rotated through two shifts onstage as donations climbed steadily—then surged during the live auctions. Big-ticket items included a coastal vacation package and a guided tour of Portland strip clubs, with individual auctions pulling in thousands.
For those who couldn’t score tickets to the sold-out show, the entire night streamed live on Twitch, where viewers kept the donation counter climbing.
All proceeds benefit Doernbecher’s Child Life Therapy Program, which helps children cope with long hospital stays and medical procedures through play, education, and creative support.
For some performers, the cause hits close to home. One first-time participant shared that she spent years at Doernbecher while donating bone marrow to her younger brother. “Getting to give back to the place that helped my family—it’s emotional,” she said.
After the show, performers convert donations directly into toys from the hospital’s wish list, shopping at longtime partner MudPuddles Toys & Books.
What Tatas for Toys proves—year after year—is simple: a community often underestimated knows exactly how to show up. And in Portland, holiday generosity just happens to come with heels, humor, and a whole lot of heart.
