Despite the recent economic downturn, northeast Queens residents have answered the call for holiday toy donations very generously, according to a local toy drive organizer.
Dr. Robert J. Mittman, who owns and operates an allergy and immunology practice on Bell Boulevard in Bayside, is currently wrapping up his annual toy drive, which he has run in cooperation with Assemblymember Ann-Margaret Carrozza for the last 10 years.
“Even with the bad economy, our numbers have been higher than ever. Local residents have been very generous,” said Mittman. “They bring high quality, new gifts.”
Echoing this sentiment was Mittman’s mother Tess who, serves as his office assistant.
“In spite of hard economic times, people have been extremely generous,” she said. “We have already donated several truckloads, and we have another ready.”
Mittman began his holiday ritual a decade ago as part of a Toys For Tots collection drive, though it has since evolved into an independent program.
“This year, we’ll give the toys to the Association for Neurologically Impaired Brain Injured Children (ANIBIC), and they will distribute them through a Christmas party they hold. In the past we’ve done different things, including giving to hospitals, such as Jamaica Hospital and others,” Mittman said.
“The nice thing is that we try to give over 90 percent of the toys we collect to Queens families,” he said. “Sometimes we fail to realize that some areas of Queens are not as fortunate as northeast Queens is.”
Toys can be delivered to Mittman’s office at 38-21 Bell Boulevard, Bayside up until December 24.
