‘Toys from the Heart’ brings joy to area children
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
by: Tonya Lowentritt
HAMMOND –It's a holiday tradition of toys coordinated by Southeastern Louisiana University student organizations to benefit children in the local community.
Since 2005, Southeastern's Kappa Alpha Psi, Delta Sigma Theta sorority, Zeta Phi Beta sorority and a fluctuating host of other organizations on Southeastern's campus will collaborate to organize the "Toys from the Heart" toy drive. This year, they are joined by Phi Beta Sigma, African American Alumni Association, Student United Way, and NAACP.
The organizations expect to collect enough toys for 400 children this holiday season.
"This is the ninth year for the toy drive," said Donnisha Patterson, student coordinator for the drive, "but this year the student coordinators decided to change the format to benefit selected children in community programs, such as Head Start and the Successful Transitions Program, instead of families registering for toys."
Patterson said the students are asking the Hammond community and all Southeastern departments, faculty, staff and students to make a donation of a toy or a monetary donation toward the purchase of a new toy.
New, unwrapped toys may be delivered to donation boxes located in the Student Union East and West sides from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov 10-13, Nov. 17 – 20, Nov. 24-25, and Dec. 1-2. Donation boxes will also be located inside the Pennington Student Activity Center, located at the corner of University Avenue and General Pershing Avenue, and in the SGA office in Mims Hall, room 118.
For more information about "Toys from the Heart," contact Patterson at donnisha.patterson @southeastern.edu.
