By Kathy Chouteau
Uniting Hearts, a Richmond nonprofit that provides essentials and basic needs items to families, children and day workers in need via donation events, is hosting a Community Toy Giveaway this weekend.
Set for Sun., Dec. 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Mark’s Church, 159 Harbour Way South in Richmond, the event will distribute 120 winter break goodie bags—including arts & crafts molding sets, fidgets and the like—and toys supplied by Toys for Tots and other donors for kids ranging in age from babies to teens.
Family-friendly activities will also be happening in the church’s parking lot, including a few carnival-style games like hole-in-one, a fishing game, an arts & crafts area and other fun.
The Community Toy Giveaway hopes to “bring joy” to families during the holiday season, said Uniting Hearts Executive Director Johanna Garcia, who said it’s a “community driven event” that aims to “bring folks together that day.” She noted that many of the volunteers and donors stepping up are local community members pitching in on the effort.
Uniting Hearts is keeping busy this holiday season. Last Friday, the nonprofit hosted its 5th Annual Pan Dulce & Coffee Giveaway, which provided 100 winter care packages—including beanies, warm gloves, socks, essential items and safety vests/glasses—to day laborers and unsheltered adults in the Home Depot parking lot in El Cerrito. Home Depot stepped up as an in-kind donor, Starbucks supplied the coffee and El Porvenir provided the pan dulce for the event.
Registration for the Community Toy Giveaway is encouraged but not mandatory; toys will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis, per Garcia. To register, click here. To volunteer for the event, email Garcia at [email protected]. To learn more about Uniting Hearts, visit the organization on Facebook or Instagram.
