Parenting Center Toy Drive Ends Dec. 9
The School District's Parenting Center is collecting toys for children of all ages.
The Parenting Center's annual Toy Drive for the South Orange/Maplewood School District wraps up (get it?) this Friday, Dec. 9. Contributions are still needed for the drive, which in recent years has served more than 150 local families.
"We need all donations, either toys or cash donations," said Parenting Center director Karen Weiland. Weiland tells Patch that donations are hardest to come by for tweener and teen boys. She suggested sports equipment and electronic devices.
Toys should be delivered unwrapped.
Each December, the Parenting Center sponsors the annual holiday toy drive to provide holiday gifts for the children of the neediest families in the district. According to Weiland, the toy drive benefitted more than 150 families and more than 600 children last year. Toys are collected for children from infancy through age 16.
The children are identified under federal guidelines as living in poverty and being eligible for free or reduced price breakfast and lunch in the schools.
All monetary donations are used to purchase gifts for children and none of the money donated is taken for administrative costs. This toy drive is a completely volunteer effort by members of the school community. (Weiland runs the drive with co-chairs Lorraine Caputo and Abigail Cotler.) The donated gifts are given to parents who, in turn, provide them to their children.
Donations can be dropped off at The Parenting Center, 2nd Floor of the Board of Education building at 525 Academy Street (beside Columbia High School). Checks can be made out to SOMSD Parenting Center Toy Drive and mailed to The Parenting Center, c/o Karen Weiland, 525 Academy Place, Maplewood, NJ 07040.
Donations are tax-deductible donation. Monetary donations will be used to shop for the items needed for the families the Center serves. "Your support will enable our community to bring joy to these children and their families," writes Weiland.
The Center is also interested in hearing from families that need help. If you think you might be eligible, contact Weiland at 973-762-5600, ext. 1850.
