Over 10,000 Toys Make Their Way to Katrina's Kids for Christmas

Family-to-Family, a poverty relief program started three years ago by Pam Koner, a Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, mother, has organized a nationwide toy drive for the children of families affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Family-to-Family's Toys for Katrina's Kids program asks volunteers to purchase and ship toys, wrapping paper and ribbon to designated community centers in Mississippi and Louisiana, including one cruise ship housing families evacuated from New Orleans.

Hurricane Katrina parents are invited to "shop" (no funds required) for their children, enjoy a small Christmas party atmosphere, and connect with other Katrina parents. These parents, who have lost so much, will select and wrap toys for their children, so that they can experience the giving spirit of the season.

Volunteers for Family-to-Family's Toys for Katrina's Kids include people and groups from all walks of life. Among them are stay-at-home mothers, retirees, school districts, church and synagogue congregations, professional and college student organizations, high school clubs, corporations and scout troops.

• Donated trucks have hauled hundreds of toys collected in Massachusetts and New York, with one trucker in Kentucky collecting $1,500 worth of donated toys and delivering them himself to Mississippi
• Chicago realtors fill one truck to the brim with toys and deliver it to Louisiana;
• Detroit auto parts manufacturer dedicates funds and employees to the complete rebuilding of a school district and surrounding community in Mississippi;
• Major entertainment magazine's employee Holiday party donates $5,000 towards the purchase of toys;
• When Family-to-Family alerted its volunteers via email of the need for toys for 250 children on the cruise ship, over 500 toys were collected in three days;
• Thirteen September 11 families, their communities, relatives and friends donate thousands of dollars in toys, to give back to a country that showed such support during their time of need.

To date, over 10,000 toys have been collected, to be distributed among some 3,000 children, with the hope that this first Christmas since Hurricane Katrina might offer not only a small toy for a child, but also a family's small step towards emotional recovery.

Toys for Katrina's Kids parties will take place from December 19 - 22, in Belle Chasse, Tallulah and Lutcher, Louisiana; and in Pass Christian, Waveland/Bay St. Louis, and Pascagoula, Mississippi.

Family-to-Family was named as one of "America's 100 Best" by Reader's Digest in 2005.

Contact Info:

Ms. Pam Koner, Founder
Family-to-Family (www.family-to-family.org)
914/478-0756
email: famtofamkatrina@aol.com