Holiday Helpers

Queens District Attorney Richard Brown holds a basketball, one of many items donated in the course of the District Attorney’s Office annual toy drive for needy Queens children. The District Attorney’s Office is one of many agencies and organizations throughout Queens holding toy and coat drives during the holiday season for those less fortunate. Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens, for example, is holding a drive through January 6, collecting new and unwrapped toys for infants to 18-year-old boys and girls. For a convenient dropoff location, call 718-722-6224.

Also helping to bring joy to the faces of children in the borough, state Senator Frank Padavan, several city councilmembers and police officers from the 112th, 113th and 103rd Precincts are serving as Santa’s helpers at the Jamaica Rotary Club holiday toy distribution and lunch at Queens Center for Progress Children’s Center, 82-25 164th St., Jamaica today, December 20.

In conjunction with the Food Bank of NYC, Councilmember Melinda Katz has held a drive for non-perishable food and new, unwrapped toys for donation to the Elmhurst Hospital Center pediatric ward and Ronald McDonald House through December 22 with her district office at 104-01 Metropolitan Ave., Forest Hills as the collection point. For more information, call 718-544-8800.

Kids Helping Kids In Need is holding their 10th annual Sponsor-A-Family toy drive; more information is available at 718-574-0058, ext. 16.