Freeholder Bill O’Dea (D-2), Assemblywoman Angela McKnight (D-31), Jersey City native actress Shanice Williams the Toys of Hope Foundation and the Jersey City Capt. Mark Lee Sr. Christmas Drive Fund gave 165 toys to Jersey City children.
[fve]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbdZ4Cfa7cQ[/fve]
“I think the kids feel good that Santa Claus comes to them. Being a politician is all about giving back,†O’Dea told Hudson County View.
McKnight, who was equally enthusiastic about the event, was proud to have Angela Cares help sponsor the location of the event, which was held at the Hudson Mall last night.
“Jersey City has done their thing this year for the holidays and I am so proud to be Jersey City native,†shared McKnight.
The another sponsor of the evening was the Mark Lee Sr. Christmas Fund.
Sheryl Lee, wife of the late Mark Lee Sr., now oversee the fund with her family and the rest of the Jersey City firefighters.
To date, the fund has delivered over 5,364 toys to children and to over 100 families.
“It warms my heart that the children are going to wake up and they are going to have Christmas presents underneath the Christmas tree,†Lee admitted in an interview.
The fund has existed over thirty years and reaches children and families at Booker T. Washington, Arlington Gardens, Curries Woods, Marion Gardens, several day ares, St. Joseph’s Church, and lists from schools of autistic and families in need.
Williams, who told her fans that Christmas is about family, also helped distribute presents and spent a great deal of time wishing all those in attendance Merry Christmas.
Paul Bellan-Boyer from the Toys of Hope Foundation delivered one hundred sixty toys from Long Island to this event which is part of a van load of three hundred eighty toys that went to to four different Jersey City destinations. According to Bellan-Boyer eighty toys also was delivered to Booker T Washington, sixty toys was delivered to St. George Coptic Church, and another eighty toys to Love of Jesus Family Church.
To further guarantee holiday cheer, the Toys of Hope event also had a DJ, live entertainment and of course, dancing.
