The easiest way to give back this holiday season is just a few clicks away. That’s all it takes to be part of UES Mutual Aid’s second annual Upper East Side holiday toy drive. The giveaway will once again help make sure local families that are struggling this time of year can still give their children a reason to celebrate.
UES Mutual Aid Network needs your help stocking its free holiday ‘toy store’ by purchasing new toys from their Amazon Wish List. This year, the group is hoping to collect a total of 100 toys, including small Lego sets ranging in price from $12 to $19, plus a View Master and a Simon handheld electronic game for $21 each.
“Last year, when neighbors bought new items from our wishlist, we gave out nearly 150 toys and donated another 50 to the church’s own toy drive for a local family shelter,” said UES Mutual Aid toy drive organizer Patrick Bobilin.
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“We need help to provide an opportunity for kids around the city to experience abundance this holiday season,” Bobilin added.
Here’s how to donate: Select the toy you want to donate from their wishlist and when you checkout, set the address to ‘Sarah Simon’s Gift Registry Address’ (Sarah is one of the organizers) under the ‘other addresses’ section — then checkout as usual.
Once again, UES Mutual Aid will be inviting parents of children 4 to 9 years old to ‘shop’ at their free ‘toy store’ on Saturday, December 17th at the Church of the Holy Trinity on East 88th Street, between Second and Third Avenues.
“It was an opportunity for busy parents to have a coffee and chat with organizers about community building and mutual aid,” Bobilin explained.
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“Some of those same neighbors got engaged with our park cleanups and bread handouts afterwards.”
Toy donations are being accepted through December 15th— click here to browse their shopping list.
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