Four-hundred-and-fifty children of all ages received gifts at the 17th Annual Holiday Toy Distribution organized by United Community Center of Westchester (UCCW). Because of the recent flood at the UCCW office, this year’s Toy Distribution was hosted at City Hall.  

Happy participants, whose families registered in advance, received wrapped gifts tailored to their ages. There were beautiful decorations, six tables lined with gifts sorted by family in alphabetical order, and more than a dozen volunteers welcoming people, taking their names, snapping photos with Santa, and wrapping gifts for kids who might show up without having registered in advance. One young volunteer said he and his family had been helping out at this event for the past eight years.

Executive Director Jackeline Agudelo was delighted to maintain this annual tradition, although she was concerned that not as many people as usual made it to the unfamiliar location. She was grateful to the City of New Rochelle for permitting them to host their party at City Hall, and to the Robinson Family, the Sidoti Family, Toys for Tots, Elisamuel Martinez, Psy.D., and the Westchester Hispanic Democrats for contributing gifts to the event. Agudelo was pleased that State Senator Shelley Mayer, Ximena Francella, Co-chair of the Westchester Hispanic Democrats, and Todd Castaldo, Deputy City Manager of New Rochelle, stopped by for a visit.

In spite of the ongoing struggle with their landlord to repair their flooded offices, the UCCW staff and volunteers continue to provide New Rochelle residents with food, clothing, assistance with their health care and housing issues, as well as holiday cheer. To support UCCW’s work, and their ongoing efforts to replace their losses, please visit https://gofund.me/601617598