The Delaware Valley Legacy Fund’s TOY event, a holiday party aimed at providing toys for children and meeting the needs of the LGBT community, will give out grants to six nonprofits during its 10th-anniversary event. The grantees will include organizations that address LGBT issues such as youth homelessness, transgender-inclusive services and healthy aging.
DVLF announced this week that The Attic Youth Center, LGBT Elder Initiative, Support Center for Child Advocates, Therapy Center of Philadelphia, Valley Youth House and William Way LGBT Community Center are its 2016 beneficiaries. Following their recognition at the Dec. 10 event, Philadelphia singer-songwriter Aiden James will perform a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “River.”
DVLF executive director Samantha Giusti said the work of the grantees is in line with the agency’s goals.
“Our mission is to promote philanthropy,” Giusti said. “[The grants are] a direct correlation to our mission. We were founded to meet the emerging needs of the community, which at the time was HIV and AIDS, and certainly has shifted throughout the years. These are the organizations that the community grant-making folks feel like are representing some of the most emergent needs in the LGBT community and that’s what we were created to do. We’re happy all these years later to continue to be able to do it.”
TOY will feature a cocktail party, dancing, appetizers, an open bar and a silent auction for more than 400 people. Attendees are encouraged to bring an unwrapped toy for donation to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Action Wellness.
Throughout its history, TOY has varied its venue and the 10th-annual event continues this tradition by using Top of the Tower. Feedback from previous TOY events showed that some attendees preferred a cocktail party while others would rather have a dance celebration; Top of the Tower provides both of these elements with a lounge area for socializing and a separate space for a dance party, Giusti said.
“Looking at the city lights feels bright and festive,” Giusti said, noting the panoramic views the venue offers from the 51st floor. “I like that people can get the best of both worlds. It’s plenty of space and we can really spread out and have a nice time. It can allow us to give a couple of different feels to the party.”
Giusti also said it’s a good time for the community to come together, given how the presidential election showed that there is “still a lot of work to be done” in regard to LGBT progress.
“I think there’s a rallying cry that we might lose some of the rights we worked so hard for and that we really need to come together as a community,” Giusti said. “We have a fight ahead of us and any chance to come together and celebrate with members of our community is a beautiful thing.”
Kevin Burns, executive director of Action Wellness, said the past few weeks have made the country question the virtues of others. However, he said the TOY event “reinforces people’s goodness.”
“I’m looking forward for TOY to boost our spirits these days,” Burns said.
Burns also noted how Action Wellness works hard every year to make sure families the organization serves receive at least one toy during the holiday season. He said they “couldn’t achieve that goal without this tremendous support” from DVLF.
“It’s one of those events where it feels like the community really comes together to make a difference for people who are less fortunate,” Burns said. “It’s really inspiring to be part of a group that does that.”
Visit DVLF.org for more information or to purchase tickets.