During the month of December, the Dr. Angela Canfield and the Sandfly Women Business Owners Coalition will hold a toy drive for the children of Urban Hope and families at the West Broad Street YMCA. From Friday, December 1 to Thursday, December 14, bins will be set up at six of Sandfly businesses for community members to drop off wishlist items.

New toys are being 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 Sandfly Women Business Owners Coalition would like to give the children in Urban Hope’s program toys for Christmas, and the group is asking the public to help make this possible.

Wishlist items for Urban Hope include 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.

Individuals may drop off new toys at the following Sandfly Women Business Owners’ locations:

Sandfly Family Dental, 7360 Skidaway Rd #2

Advertising Specialty Services, 402 E Montgomery Cross Rd

Savannah Power Yoga, 7360 Skidaway Rd #J-3

Herb Creek Landscape Supply, 7402 Skidaway Rd

Cents & Sensibility, 7360 Skidaway Rd #4

Tequila’s Town, 7360 Skidaway Rd #G1 & #G2

Used toys will be collected 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.”

Wishlist items for the Kids Helping Kids Program include new or gently used toys, clothes and books. For families that would like to donate their used toys, Sandfly Family Dental (7360 Skidaway Rd #2) will have a collection bin for the YMCA of Coastal Georgia.

“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. Please come out an support Savannah’s families during the holidays.”