(Jersey City, N.J.)—Have you ever wanted to be Santa Claus for a child in need?  The United Way of Hudson County needs your help.  This yearâ€s toy drive is supporting children and teenagers in low-income families or living in foster care homes through the NJ Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP).

“People are always struggling to get by, but especially during the holidays,” Dan Altilio, president and CPO of the United Way of Hudson County, said.  “Our county has some troubling statistics with a 26% childhood poverty rate.  We need to let these kids know that they are loved and cared for.”

Toys are needed for children ranging in age from 0 to 18 years old, both girls and boys.  Toys should be new and unwrapped in order to match the correct toy with the right child.  If you are unsure what to buy, teenagers particularly enjoy gift cards.  As one of the most diverse areas in the United States, we also encourage people to select gifts appropriate for children of all races and ethnicities.

“What we are really giving these children is joy and self-esteem,” Jacqueline Wooten-Rose from DCPP said.  “Some of our families are barely making do.  Parents are under a lot of stress, and we want our children who are most at risk to have something special this year.  These toys really do make a difference.”

Hosting a toy drive is easy.  You can do it through your office, House of Worship, or even by yourself.  Toys should be delivered by Friday, December 19 to United Way of Hudson County, 857 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, NJ  07306.  To contribute online, please go to www.unitedwayhudson.org.

If you prefer a shopping list, needed items include clothes, underwear, shoes, coats, jackets, sweaters, scarfs, hats, gloves, toys, dolls, doll accessories, doll strollers, toy cars, trucks, fire trucks, police trucks, puzzles, games, books, DVDâ€s, electronics, bikes, baseball gloves, footballs, basketballs, soccer balls, coloring books, crayons, earrings, jewelry sets, belts, and socks. Baby items include clothes, snow sets, gloves, scarf and hat sets. Baby swings, bassinets, walkers, diapers, and toys.

The United Way of Hudson County improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of our community to advance the common good.  Established in 1936, United Way of Hudson County envisions a world where all individuals and families achieve their human potential through education, income stability and healthy lives.  Our staff, partners and volunteers are committed to ending the cycle of poverty by addressing homelessness, housing and hunger, and by giving our children the skills they need to succeed in life.  With the power to convene, United Way of Hudson County is a first responder to the big issues confronting our neighborhoods.

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