‘Twas three weeks before Christmas and…
The ABCD toy room was rather empty. About 400 toys rested on the distribution tables. Meanwhile requests for help were pouring in at an unprecedented rate. SIX THOUSAND toys were needed for families seeking to celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, Channukah and Three Kings Day.
“With the pandemic still impacting the families we serve in Boston and the Mystic Valley region – with jobs lost and soaring prices – many parents had very limited resources for buying gifts for their children this year,” said ABCD President/CEO John J. Drew. “We knew we had to help them put smiles on their children’s faces after this difficult year, as the ABCD Toy Drive has done for more than 50 years.”
ABCD immediately launched a media outreach campaign and the press responded big time! The media was wonderfully supportive. THANK YOU!
“We greatly appreciate all the terrific coverage and how everyone stepped up to help get the word out,” said Sharon Scott-Chandler, ABCD Executive Vice President & COO. She noted that the organization’s communications team was sometimes fielding eight or ten toy drive stories a day.
The power of the press was demonstrated quickly as toys and donations poured in. On December 15, Josh Young, Director, ABCD Field Operations, announced that the goal of 6,000 toys was met!
“We are so grateful for the immediate and effective response from a warm-hearted public,” said Young. “I can’t tell you what a difference it makes. We also thank the many friends and supporters of ABCD who donated, including our board and staff members.”
Bianny Suncar, Director, ABCD Mattapan Family Service Center and Toy Drive Coordinator, spoke from a toy room overflowing with dolls and games, sports equipment and stuffed animals. “Thank you to everyone who helped us meet our goal and serve the families who need and deserve this help,” she said.
Suncar said that toys would be distributed at ABCD neighborhood centers during the week of December 20th, filling the requests made earlier by families in those neighborhoods.
A nonprofit human services community action organization, ABCD provides low-income residents in the Boston and Mystic Valley areas with the tools, support and resources they need to transition from poverty to stability and from stability to success. Each year, we’ve served more than 100,000 individuals, elders and families through a broad range of innovative initiatives as well as long-established, proven programs and services. For more than 50 years, ABCD has been deeply rooted in every neighborhood and community served, empowering individuals and families and supporting them in their quest to live with dignity and achieve their highest potential. For more, please visit bostonabcd.org.