WITH THE GOAL OF REACHING 10,000 KIDS, SOUTH SIDE CHURCH KICKS OFF HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE
WITH THE GOAL OF REACHING 10,000 KIDS, SOUTH SIDE CHURCH KICKS OFF HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE
BY KATHERINE NEWMAN
As the holiday season quickly approaches, Another Chance Baptist Church, 9550 S. Harvard Ave., has already set its goal of providing new toys for 10,000 children in Chicago this year during its annual Operation Cover Chicago holiday giveaway event. The Operation Cover Chicago holiday giveaway will take place on December 20 at 7 p.m. at the church in Roseland.
Pastor Kenyatta Smith, senior pastor at Another Chance Baptist Church, was raised in Chicago and said that as they have been doing the Operation Cover Chicago holiday giveaway over the last several years, he has noticed that people’s ability to give has been dwindling and the number of families in need has been growing.
This year, they are starting the toy drive before Thanksgiving to make sure they are able to reach their goal of providing 10,000 children with new toys for Christmas this year.
“We’re afraid that people are not giving like they once were and that we may not be able to give toys out this year. We’re starting early just to bring awareness because we’re trying to get toys to 10,000 kids,” said Smith. “With so many people in Chicago, we believe somebody will hear our need and come alongside and help us.”
Smith said that preparation for the Operation Cover Chicago holiday giveaway begins in October and that the toy drive is so important to him because he can relate to the Chicago kids that are impacted by the annual event.
“It’s important to start early because we give out toys and 10,000 new toys are not easy to come by,” said Smith. “I’ll be honest and transparent, I woke up one day as a kid and there were no toys under our Christmas tree. My mission is to make sure that every child I can reach will have the opportunity to have a toy under their tree.”
Another Chance Baptist Church is accepting donations of new toys for children ages three to 14 and with monetary donations that can be used to purchase new toys. The church has said that a donation of $40 will provide a new toy for one child, $80 will provide toys for two kids, or a donation of $150 will provide toys for a whole family.
“I think the most important thing to know is that those who give a toy will feel good about it but on the other end, some kid at our toy drive on Dec. 20 will come and receive hope by knowing that somebody cares about them and that somebody is thinking about them,” said Smith. “We want to make sure there is help and that there is hope for them. That’s what we are offering at the toy drive on December 20th, we are offering hope.”
To learn more about the Operation Cover Chicago toy drive e-mail anotherchancech@gmail.com or call 708-568-0037.
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