The LGBT community is gearing up to celebrate a growing holiday tradition this weekend with Delaware Valley Legacy Fund’s TOY.
The annual fundraiser and toy drive, now in its fifth year, will be held from 7-10 p.m. Dec. 3 at Marketplace Design Center, 2400 Market St.
Gifts collected at the event will be donated to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s pediatric HIV/AIDS unit and Action AIDS, and fundraising will benefit DVLF in its effort to provide LGBT grantmaking opportunities.
“This is DVLF’s signature event,” said executive director John Moeller. “It helps raise money that will allow us to do our grantmaking and other programmatic initiatives in addition to helping CHOP and Action AIDS help families in need this holiday season.”
John Krall, interim program director at CHOP, said the gifts can ease the minds of parents who are already under stress because of their child’s illness.
“The holidays can be a lot of fun but it can also be stressful, in particular with finances,” he said. “Almost all of the families we work with are impoverished, so for them to be able to get something nice and unexpected is really great. I think the families need to feel normal in a sense and don’t want to have to worry about the fact that they can’t afford gifts for the holidays. They should be able to enjoy the holidays just as anyone else, and these donations really make that possible.”
Gifts should be suited for a child ages 2-17, with a suggested Amazon gift list that includes items such as DVDs, car sets and books. Plush toys cannot be accepted.
Moeller said the event has typically brought in 300-400 guests, and organizers are looking this year to attract a crowd of up to 500 supporters.
Also in attendance this year will be national fashion guru David Evangelista and cabaret performer Karen Gross, who will both mix and mingle at 6 p.m. with guests who purchase VIP tickets.
Krall welcomed DVLF’s five-year commitment to TOY and said the longevity of the event should shed light on the fact that the epidemic is ongoing.
Krall noted the response the families have to the yearly gift delivery is moving to watch.
“It’s really a joy to be able to share the gifts with them. Both the parents and the kids are so excited to see the toys and play with them together,” he said. “To be able to bring a toy and know that it’s going to go to a child who will really cherish it should make people feel really good about participating in this. Knowing that you did one small thing that improved the life of a child is a great feeling.”
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.dvlf.org.
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].