‘Tis the season for giving, and despite the continued struggles they themselves face after Superstorm Sandy, Southern Brooklyn residents proved their generosity by doling out more than 9,000 toys for last night’s Toys for Tots closeout party at the 41st Assembly District Democrats Club.
Santa’s little helpers paraded around the mountain of dolls, games, books and crafts carrying signs of the toy totals from every year since the drive kicked off in 2001. Without going down even once, the numbers grew from just 79 to a whopping 9,004, unveiled by Mr. Met and Sandy the Seagull, making a 12-year total of 47,680 gifts given to the program.
“There will be 10,000 young people who will get a gift, put a smile on their face, that they wouldn’t have had otherwise. And that is certainly the gift that we have to give on the holidays,” Councilman Lew Fidler told the dense crowd that packed into the small Marine Park clubhouse at 2952 Avenue R.
Keep reading about our community’s generosity, and view photos and video from the event.
Source: Alina Zienowicz via Wikimedia
The month-long Toys For Tots toy drive rolls on this evening with their latest satellite event. Tonight, the Be Proud Foundation, the 41st Assembly District Democrats Club and the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve are joining forces to give donated toys to underprivileged children in the Russian-speaking community.
Tonight’s event will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the second floor of the Cherry Hill Gourmet Market, 1901 Emmons Avenue between East 19th Street and Ocean Avenue. You can either donate a new, unwrapped toy or make a $30 minimum check payable to the “Be Proud Foundation.”
The drive wraps up Thursday night, December 20, during a grand finale party at the Democratic club, 2952 Avenue R on the corner of Haring Street, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Feel free to bring an new, unwrapped toy to that event, or mail a check to the Community First Toy Drive – 41st A.D. Dems Club c/o Bryan Lee, Executive Director, 2664 Dorothy Street, Bellmore, NY 11710. You can also reach out to toy drive founder Lee by calling (917) 846-1944.
Source: Bryan Lee
Source: Bryan Lee
Last week we reported on Councilman Lew Fidler, the 41st Assembly Democrats, and Toy Drive founder Bryan Lee’s 12th annual ‘Toys For Tots’ toy drive. The annual drive is holding satellite drives all month long, and the Teen-Driven Toy Drive Kick-Off held last week set a wonderful example as teens from all different cultural backgrounds banded together for a good cause.
The Teen-Driven Toy Drive Kick-Off was held at the Kings Bay Y last week. The teens and participants are from the Kings Bay Y, Hebrew Educational Society, Turkish Cultural Center, Brooklyn Amity School, 41st Assembly District Democrats Club and Councilman Fidler’s staff, a diverse coalition representing the best of our local youth doing their part to help those in need. One such selfless volunteer is Kings Bay Y teen Paula (pictured above), who was participating for the first time this year.
The toy drive is still currently accepting donations, and if you wish to give in person, you can bring a new, unwrapped toy to the Toys for Tots box at the Y, located at 3495 Nostrand Ave, or by bringing it to the Grand Finale Party at the Democrats Club at 2952 Ave. R, on Thursday night, December 20 between 7 and 9 p.m. Donations are also accepted by mailing a check payable to Community First Toy Drive- 41st A.D. Dems Club c/o Bryan Lee, Executive Director 2664 Dorothy Street Bellmore, NY 11710. You can also reach out to Toy Drive founder Bryan Lee by calling (917) 846-1944.
Source: Alina Zienowicz via Wikimedia
Councilman Lew Fidler, the 41st Assembly Democrats and Toy Drive founder Bryan Lee are back with their 12th annual ‘Toys For Tots’ toy drive. The annual toy drive is throwing their Grand Finale Party on Thursday night, December 20 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the 41st A.D. Dems Club, 2952 Ave. R.
The toy drive is currently accepting donations, and if you wish to give in person, you can bring a new, unwrapped toy to the party. Donations are also accepted by mailing a check payable to Community First Toy Drive- 41st A.D. Dems Club c/o Bryan Lee, Executive Director 2664 Dorothy Street Bellmore, NY 11710.
Special guests include Mr. Met, famed New York Mets mascot, making his 11th straight appearance and Sandy the Seagull of the Brooklyn Cyclones flying in for his fourth straight time.
You can also attend and donate to one of the Satellite Toy Drive Sponsors such as the 4th Be Proud Foundation Toy Drive at the Cherry Hill Gourmet Market located at 1901 Emmons Avenue held on Monday, December 17, between 6 and 8 p.m., or through Community Board 15.
The city’s largest toy drive – organized right here in Southern Brooklyn – once again broke the record for number of toys collected in New York City, netting a whopping 8,674 toys for underprivileged children in the five boroughs.
Keep reading, and view the photo gallery.
Sasha, a teen from the Kings Bay Y, holds up a Marines Toys for Tots poster while helping out with the toy drive mailing.
Hoping to shatter last year’s astounding record of a mind-boggling 7,790 toys, members of the 41st Assembly District Democrats Club, Councilman Lew Fidler, and Club Executive Director and Toy Drive Founder Bryan A. Lee are holding this year’s Community First Toy Drive Grand Finale Party on Thursday night, December 15, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the club, 2952 Avenue R and Haring Street.
Find out how you can donate, and attend the party yourself!
Erik Palanker brought five toys to donate to less fortunate children
Tzar Restaurant (2007 Emmons Avenue), in conjunction with the 41st Assembly District Democrats Club and the Be Proud Foundation, held a Toys for Tots drive on Monday, to celebrate its fifth anniversary and give a special holiday season to less fortunate children.
This year’s Toys for Tots drive was the the third time that the event has been organized by Be Proud Foundation and hosted by Tzar. The event is a local off-shoot of the 41st Assembly District Democrats Club drive, a massive effort across Southern Brooklyn that nets more toys for disadvantaged children than anywhere else in New York City.
The effort is in full-swing, and if Monday’s donations are any indication, the club is poised to once again claim their mantle as the city’s top tot toy target. Tzar and Be Proud collected more than 100 toys and raised $1,100 in donations, which enabled the organizers to purchase 400 more toys for the children.
“This number will be a major part of the overall goal of over 8,000 toys our club toy drive is aiming for in order to be the largest collecting Toys for Tots chapter in all of New York City for the sixth straight year,” declared Bryan Lee, 41st Assembly District Democrats Club executive director and Toy Drive founder.
– Taylor Reynolds
We got word from two local businesses that they’re participating as a Toys for Tots collection point, and offering special deals for any neighbors who make a donation.
Over at Top Brgr (2267 Emmons Avenue), they’re offering a complimentary order of fries with a purchase of a burger to anyone who brings in a toy. The cutoff date is December 19.
And at T-Mobile (1507 Sheepshead Bay Road), they’re offering donors a card to waive their activation fee if them or anyone they know wants to activate a line at the store. Donations must be made before December 14.
Toys for Tots collects toys from various companies, organizations, families, and individuals to provide the needy and underprivileged children of New York City a happy holiday. Toys must be new and unwrapped.
If you own a business or know of a business offerings special deals for Toys 4 Tots donations, please let us know at tips [at] sheepsheadbites [dot] com.
Tzar Restaurant is celebrating its fifth birthday and, to help commemorate, in conjunction with the 41st Assembly District Democrats Club, they will be holding their “Toys for Tots” drive at 6:00 p.m., December 12 at Tzar, 2007 Emmons Avenue.
While the event is billed as being “in the Russian-speaking community,” monetary donations and new toys will be distributed as holiday gifts to all needy children. According to Tzar, “Bringing joy and happiness to the deprived kids is the best present.”
You can either donate a new, unwrapped toy, or you can make a check payable to the “Community First Toy Drive” in the amount of $25 minimum to send a message of hope to kids whose families may be struggling to make ends meet during this time of economic uncertainty. All donations for “Toys for Tots” are tax-deductible.
Food will be provided. You must RSVP prior to December 9 by calling Sam Khalitov at (862) 242-6678 or Raisa Chernina at (347) 613-5332.
The following is a press release from State Senator Marty Golden’s office:
Brooklyn- State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C, 22nd District) today is announcing the kick off of his annual holiday troop drive and is asking the community to once again show its gratitude for our soldiers and support our heroes this holiday season. Senator Golden is also announcing his partnership with the Toys for Tots campaign and is asking residents to consider donating new, unwrapped, toys to brighten the holidays for military children.
Senator Marty Golden, a member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, Military and Veterans Affairs stated, “Many of our troops are soon coming home but many will still spend this holiday season overseas. It is important that we continue to say thank you to the brave men and women serving in the Armed Forces by making sure they have the personal items they need. The troops of the United States have devoted their life and their career to the protection of our nation.”
Keep reading, and find out how to contribute.
