South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Here’s how South Florida helped families in need during the holidays
Looking to spread holiday cheer in a year consumed by COVID-19, nonprofits and businesses extended a helping hand to families, hoping to ensure children across South Florida had a gift to unwrap this holiday season.
From toy drives to monetary donations, charities and organizations rallied this year in an effort to not allow the pandemic to disrupt the spirit of the season.
South Florida
Craig Zinn Automotive Group
The Craig Zinn Automotive Group sponsored charitable programs and hosted toy and gift drives at Lexus of Pembroke Pines, Toyota of Hollywood, Subaru of Pembroke Pines, Lexus of North Miami, 441 Auto Rental and Acura of Pembroke Pines. In addition, Lexus of Miami sponsored the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Spread Joy Toy Drive and partnered with Neighbors 4 Neighbors to support the Adopt A Family 4 the Holidays Operation Elf Program. Subaru of Pembrokes Pines’s annual Share the Love event was also underway with the dealership donating $250 for each vehicle sold or leased to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation. Sponsoring Light-Up the Harbor for Children’s Harbor, Lexus of Pembroke Pines turned the space into a winter wonderland, providing lights, Christmas trees and holiday decorations. Lexus of Pembroke Pines delivered large boxes of toys as well to Children’s Harbor and gifted each child a $150 gift card. Visit czgroup.com/.
AT&T Pioneers
Serving as Santa’s elves for children and teenagers in ChildNet, the AT&T Pioneers in South Florida recently purchased nearly $6,000 worth of presents, enough to fill an entire cargo van. Through ChildNet’s AdoptAn-Angel program, the AT&T Pioneers included gifts such as bikes, books, play tents, Legos, puzzles, games and more. Gifts were provided to children and teenagers served by ChildNet in Broward and Palm Beach. The AT&T Pioneers is a network of active and retired AR&T employees who donate their time and money to improving their communities. Visit attpioneers.org/.
Morningday Community Solutions
As part of its annual Giving Tuesday event, Morningday Community Solutions distributed $16,600 in products to over 300 charities during December. MCS’s Giving Tuesday initiative typically brings hundreds of representatives from charities to shop at its warehouses in Pompano Beach and West Palm Beach on the first Tuesday of December. With over 300 charities in Broward and Palm Beach counties collectively saving $1.5 million this year alone by going to MCS, the warehouses distribute hygiene products, clothing, mattresses, home goods and more to nonprofit organizations for 70% less than retail price. Visit morningdaycommunitysolutions.org.
Palm Beach Boca Raton
The Boca West Country Club delivered 500 fresh holiday meals to the front line workers at Boca Raton Regional Hospital on Dec. 22. Continuing its support of the hospital, the country club’s award-winning culinary team included options such as herb grilled chicken, roasted salmon or a vegetable tower, all served with Mediterannean orzo with feta cheese and lemon oregano vinaigrette. Visit bocawestcc.org.
Continuing to provide food for those in need this holiday season, Lang Realty and Lang Management recently collected 7,413 pounds of nonperishable food for its 22nd annual Move for Hunger food drive. Gathering food items at each of its offices at Boca Raton, Palm Beach Gardens and Port St. Lucie, Lang Realty donated enough food to distribute 6,177 meals. The Move for Hunger Real Estate Program is an international network of real estate professionals who dedicate themselves to ending hunger in the communities they serve. Visit moveforhunger.org.
Danny More and Dawn Levine from More Sports Group — a management team that assesses and advises college and professional athletes to get the most out of their brand — delivered over 100 wrapped gifts to 10 hand-selected families in the Palm Beach County area. Purchased from a Christmas wish list, holiday gifts were given to each family through A Family Promise. The national nonprofit helps address family homelessness, providing individuals resources such as workforce development, emergency shelter and financial capability. Visit familypromise.org.
Boynton Beach
Chosen as it 2020-2021 Presidents’ Project, the members of the Boynton Women’s Club assembled and donated 150 bags of candy for distribution at the holiday celebration for clients of the Palm Beach Habilitation Center in Lake Worth. The center offers vocational training, employment and community job placement and other services to individuals with disabilities in the community. Visit boyntonwomansclub.com. Palm Beach Gardens
TBC Corporation associates recently continued its support of Feeding South Florida, donating food products to the food bank in an effort to combat its food shortage. Donated items included peanut butter, cereal, rice, beans, pasta, canned products and household essentials. TBC associates also contributed monetary donations in which every dollar donated provided nine holiday meals.
Back in April, TBC began its support of Feeding South Florida by donating a 24,000-square-foot facility in Pembroke Park in which the food bank could store overflow dry food. TBC Corporation is one of North America’s largest marketers of automotive replacement tires. Visit tbccorp.com. West Palm Beach
In partnership with Spirit of Giving and Feeding South Florida, Connections Education Center of the Palm Beaches distributed holiday gifts to its students as well as a turkey and two-weeks worth of food for each family on Dec. 16. The Title 1 school had families receive their gifts via drive-thru on its campus from Santa and his elves. Visit connectedpb.com.
Over 16,500 toys and gifts were opened on Christmas morning by children in the community thanks to The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County’s Angel Tree Program. Looking to “rescue Christmas” for families affected by COVID-19, the Salvation Army’s program is a needs-based initiative intended to serve families with small children during the holidays. The toys that were provided to the families were not purchased by the Salvation Army but donated by different individuals. In addition, despite only 40 locations this year, the Salvation Army managed to collect $140,000 through its signature Red Kettle program. Funds donated through the Red Kettle campaign help sustain The Salvation Army’s yearly operations. Visit salvationarmyflorida.org/ westpalmbeach/.