During the month of December, ten businesses in the Sandfly community held a toy drive for the children of Urban Hope and families at the West Broad Street YMCA.

Used toys were collected at Sandfly Family Dental for the Kids Helping Kids Program of the West Broad Street YMCA. The Kids Helping Kids Program started in 1981. Traditionally operating through the Savannah Chatham County Public School System, the program collects used toys and then distributes these toys at no cost during the annual Miracle on May Street holiday toy giveaway.

“The West Broad YMCA, located at 1110 May St., is focused on serving the children and families of Savannah’s west side public housing communities,” said Tom Campbell, who founded the Kids Helping Kids Program in 1981. “To see the excitement on the family’s faces when they get a toy for their child right before Christmas solidifies that this service is making a difference. In the last 36 years, the Kids Helping Kids Program has collected well over 300,000 toys for Savannah families.”

New toys were also collected for Urban Hope. Urban Hope has a 17-year history of reaching out and embracing the children of Savannah’s at-risk communities. By providing a warm, caring, structured and safe environment Urban Hope provides the children who participate in it’s free After School or Summer Camp programs the opportunity to receive academic and developmental support through a variety of means.

The following Sandfly Women Business Owners’ businesses participated in the new toy drive as dropoff locations for Urban Hope: Advertising Specialty Services; Savannah Power Yoga; Herb Creek Landscape Supply; Cents & Sensibility; Tequila’s Town; Driftaway Cafe; Sandfly BBQ; Sandfly Framing; and Annabelle’s.

Wishlist items for Urban Hope included children’s books, coloring books, toy trucks, building blocks, multicultural dolls, musical toys, play dough sets, large piece puzzles, pull toys, sports equipment, board games and art supplies, including glue sticks, markers, scissors and stickers.

“Christmas is such a happy time of year for so many of us,” said Dr. Angela Canfield, a coalition member. “There are some children in our community who aren’t in the same situation as us and who may not receive a Christmas present. Both of these programs are so impactful in our community.”