Students at a Flushing elementary school reacted with delight after receiving new toys in the lead-up to Christmas, thanks to a collaboration between Council Member Sandra Ung and the District Council of Carpenters.
Ung handed out toys to approximately 70 students from kindergarten through second grade enrolled in P.S. 24’s after-school program, operated by the Child Center of New York, a non-profit aiming to strengthen children and families by providing skills, opportunities and emotional support.
Ung visited the school on Tuesday, Dec. 17, after receiving a donation of over 100 toys from the District Council of Carpenters, a union representing carpenters, dock workers, and other specialty craft workers consisting of over 20,000 members.
Each student enrolled in the after-school program received a toy, ranging from Moana dolls to sports equipment and from board games to stuffed animals.
“It was great to see the excitement on the kids’ faces when they learned that they were each able to pick one toy to take home,” Ung said following the giveaway.
Ung’s team donated any toys left over following the giveaway to the Flushing BID Annual Toy Drive, which saw hundreds of toys distributed to local non-profits in the Tangram Mall at 133-33 39th Ave. on Thursday, Dec. 19.
The annual toy drive, which has been running since 2017, has raised over $36,000 to distribute toys to over 4,000 children since its inception. This year, the drive raised $12,000 to purchase 750 toys.
Some children who went to the mall on Dec. 19 to have their photo taken with Santa were also lucky enough to walk away with some toys from the toy drive.
“My office is fortunate enough to attend a number of toy giveaways and drives in District 20 throughout the holiday season, but one of the biggest and best is always the annual Flushing BID Toy Drive,” Ung said in a statement.
Sponsors of the Flushing BID’s 2024 toy drive included Chase Bank, Chinese American Real Estate Association, EmblemHealth, Flushing Central Leo Club/Flushing Central Lions Club, Flushing Kent Realty, Iris Tea & Bakery, KM Pharmacy, Liberty Land Abstract, Marilyn Bitterman, NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, Ngan Ping Jewelry, PRO Links Realty, Skyview, Tangram, U.S. 1 Supermarket, and Point72.
Ung also attended the EmblemHealth Neighborhood Care Center’s annual Winter Wonderland event on Dec. 19, which saw 255 bags of food and 130 toys distributed to members of the local community.
The free event, which took place at the care center at 41-61 Kissena Blvd., also featured free activities and games for local children.
