Large Team Effort Helps 150 Hartford Families Enjoy The Holidays

HARTFORD/AVON/SIMSBURY, CT — Thanks to a Hartford nonprofit, an Avon boarding school, a Simsbury church, an East Hartford manufacturer, and a national food delivery company, 100 Hartford families had a nicer holiday season.

On Dec. 17, Hands On Hartford, located at 55 Bartholomew Ave., hosted more than 150 families at its Hartford Community Engagement Center for its annual Toy Shoppe Holiday Celebration.

During the event, parents “shopped” for free holiday gifts for their children while nearly 300 kids visited with Santa, participated in arts and crafts, danced, and enjoyed a snack.

The event allowed underserved Hartford residents to have a fun holiday season with their children and provide gifts for their families at no cost to them.

Families who were unable to attend the event were able to pick up toys and DoorDash gift cards at a later date.

As one of the event sponsors, DoorDash provided $7,500 in gift cards to be distributed to 150 families and to help address food insecurity this season.

Other event sponsors included Avon Old Farms School, a private, Avon boarding school whose volunteers shopped for and donated all the toys and gift items for the Celebration.

Also helping out was the First Church of Christ in Simsbury, which supported the event as a financial sponsor.

Representatives from DoorDash andEast Hartford-based Pratt & Whitney joined Hands On Hartford to volunteer at the Celebration.

“This time of year can be challenging for those struggling to provide for their families, so we hope our Toy Shoppe Holiday Celebration relieves some of that burden for parents and brings cheer to the children who attend,” said Janet Bermudez, executive director of Hands On Hartford.

“We’re so grateful for the immense support we received from DoorDash, Avon Old Farms School, and First Church of Christ along with dozens of volunteers to help us celebrate the holiday spirit with so many of our neighbors.”

“DoorDash is inspired by Hands On Hartford’s dedication to those in need in the Hartford community, and we are proud to support the great work the organization is doing through the Toy Shoppe Holiday Celebration,” said Daniela Michanie, DoorDash’s manager of public engagement in New England.

“Helping expand food access in the communities we serve is crucial to our mission, and Hands On Hartford does an incredible job at providing comprehensive and unique programs for families in the community to get the nutritious food they need.”

For additional information about Hands On Hartford and its services, visit handsonhartford.org.