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January 2009

University Academy Charter High School in Jersey City Supports Second Chance Toys

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University Academy Charter High School in Jersey City worked with Second Chance Toys to conduct a month long plastic toy drive at their school. The drive was spearheaded by teacher, Mr. Angel Cora along with the associate member students of the Psi Sigma Phi Multicultural Fraternity. The students worked hard to collect, clean and sort the toys. The Jubilee Center in Hoboken, NJ was thrilled to receive the 200 toys donated.

Brownie Troop Completes Collection and Donation of Second Chance Toys

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Brownie Troop 193, under the leadership of Cyndie Decowski, collected 150 toys and donated them to the NORWESCAP Head Start program in Washington, NJ. Pictured here are the girls who cleaned, sorted and counted all the toys and presented a meaningful donation this past December.

Holiday Collection 2008 = BIG Success!

Thank-youOur holiday collections throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Illinois, and Michigan resulted in over 7,000 toys donated to children in need.
 
Thanks to everyone who made this all possible!

Second Chance Toys Extends the Holiday Gift Giving Spirit into the New Year

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This week, Second Chance Toys came to New York's Lower East Side with a bounty of toys for The Educational Alliance and its Head Start Program. These gently used plastic toys, most certainly destined for a land fill, have now found a new home. The Educational Alliance is one of the first settlement houses on the Lower East Side. It is a community-based organization offering a wide range of programs that integrate education, social services, arts and recreation throughout Downtown Manhattan. Originally founded to help Eastern European Jews assimilate into American society, it has proven to be an important stepping stone for all that have begun their American journey in Downtown Manhattan. The Educational Alliance now has 80 programs at 32 sites.To help make this all possible, 1-800-GOT-Junk? provides pick-up and transportation from drop-off locations to organizations like The Educational Alliance.

Bergen County, NJ Head Start Program Thanks Second Chance Toys

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I am writing from the Bergen County Head Start Program in New Jersey. We were the recipients of your donations at our Bergenfield NJ location. We just wanted to thank you for your generous donation to our program. The toys were in excellent condition and as we service 3, 4, and 5 year olds and their families, the fact that everything was sorted by age was a life saver for us!

Thanks so much for your generosity to our program
Sincerely,
Arlene M.TigheSocial Service SpecialistBergen County Head Start Program

Chicago Kindergarteners from Walt Disney Magnet School Learn True Meaning of The Holidays

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This December, Kindergarten students from Disney Magnet School in Chicago got to experience what giving is all about.  With the help of Second Chance Toys, the students donated over 100 gently used toys to the Humboldt Park YMCA as part of their Citizenship unit in social studies.  Students were encouraged to go home and look for plastic toys that were still in good shape and had all their parts.  This was a very daunting task for the five year olds, most of whom had never considered the idea that other children in their own city would not be receiving toys and other gifts this holiday season.  The seven Kindergarten teachers organized the drive, and all were quite pleased with the outcome -- seven garbage bags full of toys that would be put to good use at the west side YMCA.  "The children really got caught up in the spirit of giving,"  commented one teacher.  "Many students really seemed to step outside of themselves and see things from a new perspective -- which is very challenging for young children and quite rare."  The Kindergarten team expects to hold another drive this spring for Earth Week.