By ED SALVAS
The annual Asbury Park Holiday Toy Drive has been a fixture at Christmas for many years and this past Christmas Santa’s helpers provided holiday cheer for the largest number of children.
The Toy Drive was started by Police Sgt. Connie Breech who is now retired, but her effort has been taken up by Community Karma which organized the 2024 drive.
The drive provided toys to 1,000 families with 3,000 children. 850 families per-registered for the drive and there were 160 walk-ins when the doors opened at the Sisters Academy on Springwood Ave. the day of the event, easily passing their goal of 700, according to Heather Falcone of Community Karma.
“Distribution Day opened at 10 a.m. at Sisters Academy, where despite the chilly weather, families lined up down the street all morning. Volunteers and the Asbury Park Police helped with line control, ensuring families were safe while waiting outside. Inside, registered families were assisted by volunteers, while unregistered families were directed to sign up. With the influx of toy donations, we were able to support so many walk-in families.”
The annual As bury Park Holiday Toy Drive is a collaborative effort among Community Karma, St. Stephen AM Zion Church, Asbury Park Little League, Asbury Park Kiwanis, and The Church of Philadelphia of Asbury.
Over 20 local businesses supported the toy drive by hosting toy drop-off boxes and several bars hosted ‘Tips for Toys’ events where bartenders donated their tips to the toy drive. Every weekend from Nov. 29 through Dec. 22 at the Santa Station at Convention Hall people could get a picture with Santa and the Asbury Park Circuit held its annual Christmas Holiday Photo shoot fund raising event at Convention Hall donating all proceeds to the toy drive. They also received generous donations from The Stone Pony and Asbury Park native and NFL LA Chargers Corner back Ja’Sir Taylor, contributing to the toy drive’s success.
Celia Cattani, founder of Community Karma, summed up the success of the toy drive:
“The Asbury Park Holiday Toy Drive is an example of our community at its best. Asbury comes together to make the holidays magical for the children but it really makes the season brighter for all of us,” she said.
