With so many families struggling to make ends meet, providing toys for Christmas may not be possible for them. Realizing that, community stakeholders are stepping up and hosting toy giveaways as a way to help ensure that every child has an opportunity to have toys and other items for Christmas.
Quentin Love, founder, director and CEO of Soul Food Lounge (West Side and South Locations and Turkey Chop Gourmet Grill), are is stepping up and hosting toy giveaways as a way to help ensure that every child has an opportunity to have toys and other items for Christmas. Love’s event will take place at his Turkey Chop Gourmet Grill at 3506 W. Chicago Ave. at 2 p.m., Dec. 23. The child or children must be present.
Sunrise Community Empowerment Church, 1454 S. Kolin, will hold its Annual Christmas Toy Giveaway from 11 a.m to 1 p.m., Dec. 21 while supplies last. Toys will be given to youth ages two to 14. You must register to attend: https://www.facebook.com/p/Sunrise-Community-Empowerment-100024476782191/.
The Chicago 15th Police District partnered with the Chicago West Bible Church and community members to purchase hundreds of toys and gifts to give away at its 5th Annual Chicago West Side Drive Thru event from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 21 at City of Refuge Chicago, 5916 W. Lake St. Registration is required. Email Stephanie Marquardt, executive director at smarquardt@cityofrefugechicago.org.
LaTasha Henry, founder and executive director of GLAM Chicago, a nonprofit mentoring and counseling program on Chicago’s West Side invites you to come out for a holiday event from 4 to 7 p.m., Dec. 21 at New Life Community Church at 3661W. Division St. There will be food, gifts, prayer and fun.
The Brothers of Upsilon Sigma Chapter and their Sorors of Tau Xi Zeta partnered for their Annual Toy & Coat Giveaway from 11a.m. to 2 p.m., Dec. 22 at Larry Williams State Farm Agency, 5932 W. Lake St. To register, email: toyandcoatusc.pbs@outlook.com. The child must be present.
The Chicago Transit Authority’s Allstate CTA Holiday Train and Bus now in its 33rd year of operation, will be operating throughout Chicago’s neighborhoods to deliver joy and the holiday spirit to riders, and also to deliver food baskets to various charitable agencies throughout the city.
It started as an out-of-service Blue Line train in 1992 with a “Season’s Greetings from the CTA” sign placed on the front of it delivering food to various charities over the years.
As the train pulls into each station, Santa waves to riders from his sleigh on an open-air flatcar carrying his reindeer and decorated holiday trees.
Each car of the train is wrapped with holiday and seasonal images. Thousands of twinkling lights outline the shape of the train and windows, with even more lights running across the tops of the cars.
This year, the CTA is donating food boxes to more than a dozen locations, with each location receiving 25 boxes. Food boxes will be dropped off next week at the various locations with distribution varying by location.
The locations in or closest to the Austin Weekly News coverage area:
· Holsten Human Capital Development (Lawson)
1034 W. Montrose Ave.
· Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation
2550 W. North Ave.
· Hope Excel Reaching the World
4821 W. Chicago Ave.
· Arthur Lockhart Resource Institute
4941 W. Chicago Ave.
· Marillac St. Vincent Family Services
212 S. Francisco Ave.
Holsten Human Capital Development (Hillard)
54 Cermak Rd.
The holiday train will travel all eight rail lines through Dec. 22. The full schedules for the Allstate CTA Holiday Train & Bus are available on our website: https://www.transitchicago.com/holidayfleet.
For a hot meal on Christmas or any other day, the Pacific Garden Mission, the oldest rescue mission, at 1458 S. Canal St – with the help of donations – serves hot breakfast, lunch and dinner for free every day of the year for any hungry man, woman or child who walks through its doors. Contact them at 312-492-9410.
Kells Park Community Council will hold its “Gifts for the Children” event at noon on Dec. 24 at Kells Park, 3201 W. Chicago Ave. Free gifts and coats for children, free groceries will be available for those in need.