Class was out the day before Thanksgiving in Scotia-Glenville Central School District, but one bus was still running with a special set of passengers.
District staff on Wednesday, Nov. 21, filled a bus with donated gifts and wrapping supplies for the City Mission of Schenectady’s Holiday Toy Store. The event kicked off the Superintendent’s Conference Day activities for staff. Before programs started, City Mission Director Michael Saccocio talked about his work and how schools, governments and other agencies need to work together as the economy struggles to recover.
Maureen Long, director of Curriculum and Instruction for the district, said the idea for the toy drive started from the professional development committee. After asking Saccocio to talk to staff members, Long said the district wanted to know what it could do to help the City Mission.
“We do have an ongoing, longstanding relationship with the City Mission and a number of our student groups … do a lot of work with the City Mission,” Long said. “We decided we would like to a collect of toys and gifts and wrapping paper that could be donated, and as the discussion evolved we came up with the idea of filling a school bus with those donations.”
The district’s fall conference day usually takes place in late September, but this year it fell much closer to the holiday season. Long said this was the first time staff members participated in such a donation effort.
The committee debated on whether to fill a full-size bus or a smaller bus, and settled on the larger option. Donations ended up having to be piled on seats and on the floor.
“We were really pleasantly surprised with participation,” Long said. “I would say the bus was pretty full.”
She added the district could hold the event again next year considering the positive response.
“The response from the staff was really favorable,” Long said. “I had a number of people reach out to me after we did the donations … and say, ‘What more can we do and can we still contribute to this toy drive?’”
Saccocio said the district’s efforts were helpful, especially early in the holiday season.
“An early event like this raises awareness,” Saccocio said. “When people hear about it many are prompted to go do something themselves.”
The mission’s Holiday Toy Store runs for three days starting Dec. 18 and more than 1,000 children are expected to receive gifts through it this year. Parents or guardians visit the transformed dinning center at the City Mission and are able to select what gifts to give their children.
Instead of just handing out donated gifts on one day, the toy store takes more effort but is more empowering for parents and exciting for children.
“We want this to be a great experience for both the parents and children,” Saccocio said. “The child really never knows that City Mission is involved, which to me is much closer to the magic of Christmas.”
Over the last several years, the mission has seen need increase across the board, from the number of nights lodging in the homeless shelter is sought to the number of meals being served. A “very generous community” has helped meet the increasing demands, he said.
“It is sad to see the need go up, but … we are seeing a lot of success stories,” Saccocio said.
Each year, he said the amount of gifts donated for 12- to 14-year-olds tend to fall a little short. If parents are unsure what to donate for certain age groups, he suggested taking their children shopping and asking them to select gifts they would like to receive. The price range for gifts usually falls around $20 to $40.
“We have found it is a great way for families to do it together,” he said.
Anyone interested in making a donation or volunteering for the City Mission’s Holiday Toy Store can contact Toy Store Coordinator Tammy Longo at 346-2275 ext. 310 or by email at [email protected].
“We do this every year … we really trust the community will respond,” Saccocio said.
