NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Responders Children’s Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports children of first responders and their families, will deliver over 100,000 free holiday toys through different events designed to help spread much-needed holiday cheer to New York families. The New York State Toy Express kicked off on Friday, December 11th in New York City. Looking forward to this week, toys will be distributed through additional events in partnership with the NYPD, FDNY and first responder agencies both in New York City and throughout New York State.
First Responders Children’s Foundation is a proud partner of the NYPD Five Borough Sleigh Ride, which kicked off this week with a motorcade delivering toys to children during the city’s first annual First Responders Children’s Foundation Toy Express with the NYPD. The first day of the event was dedicated to delivering toys to ten pre-selected families, all of whom were victims of gun violence, fires, or other tragedies. Media, Nassau County Police Department and New York State Police officers, including NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea, were present, along with multiple additional representatives from the Foundation and NYPD. Over 20,000 families will be gifted through these events with the NYPD alone.
Over the weekend, the Foundation also delivered toys to thousands of children from first responder families in both New York and New Jersey. On Saturday, the Foundation held a drive-through holiday toy and food giveaway at the Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park in Manhattan to thank over 800 first responder families for their sacrifices during these challenging times.
And on Sunday, the Foundation delivered over 6,000 toys to more than 400 families in Ulster County with the help of the Saugerties’ Mayor’s Office, Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, Saugerties Police Department, New York State Police, CSX, Centerville Fire District, Glasco Fire Company and Sawyer Motors Foundation. “We’re saying happy holidays and thank you to the heroic first responders who show up when we dial 911,” said Jillian Crane, President of First Responders Children’s Foundation. “Toy Express will help make a happy holiday for the children of our first responders which include nurses, firefighters, police officers, EMTs, paramedics, medical personnel, and 911 dispatchers. Our first responders are on the frontlines of the pandemic, and they continue to risk their own health every day in selfless service to their local communities across the country.”
First Responders Children’s Foundation established the Toy Express with a generous toy donation worth more than $3,500,000 in retail value from Mattel and American Girl including 5,000 signature 18” American Girl dolls and more than 45,000 in other Mattel products such as Hot Wheels®, Barbie® and Mega Bloks®. Additional sponsors include CSX, Good360, Hess Toy Truck, Jakks Pacific, MaskUSA.com, and Toys for Tots. In addition, generous individuals across the nation are helping bring holiday cheer to first responder families by making donations of toys and money. Transportation of toys and masks across the country is coordinated and provided by Total Quality Logistics (TQL) and their Moves that Matter program.
By the end of the holiday season, First Responders Children’s Foundation’s Toy Express will have delivered almost 250,000 free toys and masks through various COVID-safe events throughout the country.
First Responders Children’s Foundation began in the wake of 9/11 when Founder and Chairman, Alfred R. Kahn, hosted the first annual Thanksgiving Day Parade Breakfast just weeks after the 9/11 attacks. That year, more than 800 children and family members of first responders lost in the line of duty were invited to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade from private, front-row viewing which began an annual tradition of welcoming devastated first responder families into a supportive environment to face the challenges of the start of a holiday season without a loved one. 19 years later, the Foundation continues to support the families of first responders across the country with critical assistance including college scholarships and financial grants including paying for funeral bills of first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their community. During the 2020 pandemic, the Foundation has assisted more than 677,638 first responders through its COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. This holiday season, First Responders Children’s Foundation’s Toy Express will help provide cheer and happiness to children and families of first responders. Media assets for Toy Express can be found at https://1strcf.org/toy-express/.
Media Contact:
Joanna Black
+1 (646) 912-2681
Joanna@1stRCF.org
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/374a74db-250f-4537-bddf-13efbd013f80
A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/69ef8be7-e1de-4e14-8a23-2e6295c322da