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(The Gate/Sonya Eldridge)
Hundreds of Back of the Yards children and families attended the BYNC 11th annual Toy Giveaway on an unseasonably warm Saturday, Dec. 12.
Organized by the BYNC and sponsored by Special Services Area 10, the event was held at Davis Square Park, 4430 S. Marshfield.
The popularity of the annual tradition was more than evident by the long line that snaked around the soccer field just outside the field house.
Upon entering the building, families were greeted with hot chocolate as they patiently waited for their chance to head upstairs and receive a gift and a photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
While the masses head downtown and to suburban malls to shop and get their family photo with Santa, local families, who may be struggling to make ends meet, enjoy the same holiday tradition right here in the neighborhood.
Cristo Rey High School student Kimberly Velazquez Chavez, 16, and her younger brother Kendrick volunteered at the event Saturday. She said she can still remember coming to the toy giveaway with her family to wait for Santa and get a present.
And now that’s she older, Velazquez Chavez said she wants to give back to families in the neighborhood. “Now I get to connect with other people and give presents to children the same way [others] did for me when I was little,” she said.
Back of the Yards College Prep freshman Enrique Aguilar also spent his Saturday spreading holiday cheer to local families.
As young as he is, Aguilar is no stranger to volunteer work in the community. For the past three years, he has been volunteering at The Port Ministries, tutoring local youth after school, among other things. He’s also volunteered at Fiesta Back of the Yards, a longstanding neighborhood festival that draws tens of thousands of people to 47th Street for one weekend in June each summer.
“[The toy giveaway] brings the neighborhood together. We give toys to the kids, so they can at least have something for Christmas if [their families can’t afford it,]” Aguilar said.
The toy giveaway is also an opportunity for local businesses to give back to the community.
“I think it does so much good for the families and for the kids,” said Matt Degnan of Gypsum Supply Company, who was in attendance that day and is one of the event sponsors.
“Some of these families are underprivileged and they need support and I’m just really happy to provide support for the event and really excited to be here. I bring my kids sometimes, and they’re helping out today too. It helps them appreciate Christmas a little more.”
Event organizers Fabiola Flores and Gisela Nevarez said quite a few local parents have told them over the years that they cannot afford to buy presents for their children, and the gifts the children receive from the toy giveaway are often times the only presents they will receive this holiday season.
The family portrait with Santa is also extra special for local families, as it captures a cherished holiday memory for those who don’t have the opportunity to pay for a photo, Flores said.
She said what she enjoys most about the event is the infectious energy of the children as they wait in anticipation to see Santa and Mrs. Claus.
“I love seeing the smiles of the kids,” she said. “They’re just so genuine and so humble. It brings them so much joy to be at this event.”
The BYNC thanks all sponsors and volunteers who made this event possible.