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Second Chance Toys of PA announced today that Earth Week toy donations benefited hundreds of children in our area and have helped catapult total donations to more than1,500 toys. Second Chance Toys of PA is a community-based program started by local high-school students, Kyle and Cara Scott, that collects and recycles gently used plastic toys for distribution to disadvantaged children throughout our region.
The Scotts have been collecting toys since the summer of 2007 with donations often provided by families whose kids have outgrown toys that are still in good condition. For Earth Week, many others in our local community also pitched in to help. Toy drives were successfully run by students at Hallowell Elementary School in Horsham, employees of Kulicke & Soffa, Inc. in Fort Washington, and the Brownies of Pine Run Elementary School in New Britain. Eric Blum, local franchise owner for 1-800-GOT-JUNK? (http://www.1800gotjunk.com/us_en/), also volunteered and helped transport collected toys to some of the donation centers. During Earth Week, hundreds of low-income, deserving children in Warminster, North Philadelphia, Pottstown, Mercer County, and Trenton, NJ were the happy recipients of the toys.
If you would like to donate plastic toys to the Second Chance Toys of PA effort, please call 215-990-8615 or email craigoscott@aol.com.
Cara (age 15) and Kyle Scott (age 17), co-founders of Second Chance Toys of PA.
Kyle and Cara Scott with happy Head Start children and lots of “Second Chance Toys†in Warminster, PA.
Smiling kids and caregivers at the pediatric day health center at the Millhouse in Trenton, NJ enjoy new playground equipment from Second Chance Toys of PA.
In an effort to keep extruded plastic out of our landfills, Trailside Nature and Science Center of Union County, NJ started collecting plastic toys from visitors to the Center on Earth Day and for a couple of weeks thereafter. They donated the toys to the Union County Department of Human Services, Social Services Division, which serves 3,000 families in the area. Karen Inzillo, assistant director of Trailside was excited to work with Second Chance Toys on this program and hopes to do a similar collection in November, just before the holidays.
In celebration of Earth Day, Second Chance Toys of NYC held its first toy drive in a 45 story high rise on the Upper East Side. “They say, charity begins at home, so I decided to reach out to my neighbors and ask for their help†according to Jocelyn Goldberg, founder of the NYC chapter. The 350-unit building houses more than 100 families with children of all ages. We went door-to-door and collected over 85 plastic toys, many of which were in perfect condition and destined for the scrap heap. “Why not give them a second chance with children who could really use them.’’ Toys are being donated to Homes for the Homeless in the South Bronx. HFH shelters over 630 homeless families with more than 1,200 children each day at five separate sites across New York City. They provide education, shelter, and training to assist parents and children on their way to long-term stability. For more information on Second Chance Toys or to donate your gently used plastic toys you can reach Jocelyn by emailing her at JocelynSCT@nyc.rr.com
For Earth Day, Evergreen School PTA in Scotch Plains coordinated a toy collection with Second Chance Toys and donated 325 toys to the Union County Department of Social Services.
Pictured are Second Chance Toys founder, Sasha Lipton, and the fourth graders that helped tag the toys with messages from the students.
Accepting a Certificate of Appreciation from Sasha Lipton are (l to r) Lisa Zimmerman, PTA President, Colleen Haubert, Principal Evergreen School and Lisa O’Brien of the PTA.
Receiving the toys collected by the Paramus community program including four elementary schools and the New Jersey Children's Museum are Head Start programs in Bergenfield and Hackensack, both part of the Bergen County Community Action Partnership.
Maribel Tapia, administrative assistant at the Head Start Program of Bergenfield, was happy to receive nearly 200 Second Chance Toys for the facility. Joining her is Drew Trautman, Franchise Partner, New Jersey North East for 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, who generously donated transportation services for the Paramus toy drive.
Happily receiving a delivery of nearly 200 Second Chance Toys for the Hackensack Head Start facility is Alina Moyano, family advocate at the center.
Nearly 400 toys were collected by elementary school students at four public schools in Paramus, NJ as part of a community-wide effort to celebrate Earth Week.
Kristen Haverstick (left), first grade teacher at Midland School receives a Certificate of Appreciation from Second Chance Toys. Joining her is Drew Trautman, Franchise Partner, New Jersey North East for 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, who generously donated transportation services for the Paramus toy drive.
Receiving a Certificate of Appreciation from Second Chance Toys for their toy collection efforts is Dr. Mary Anne Evangelist (left) principal of Parkway School and Brooke Friedman (right) the third grade teacher who organized the toy collection program.
In recognition of their Earth Week toy rescue efforts, Jeanine Nostrame (left) principal of Ridge Ranch School and Noel Drower (right) head of the school's Respect Committee, who organized the toy collection program, receive a Certificate of Appreciation from Second Chance Toys for their initiative.
Sharing in the recognition for their school's participation in the Earth Week toy collection program with Second Chance Toys are Jack, Emma, and Luke, all students at Memorial School.
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The New Jersey Children's Museum in Paramus kicked off a month long celebration of Earth Week activities at the museum with a toy rescue and recycling program in conjuction with Second Chance Toys. Museum patrons who bring a used plastic toy in good condition will receive a return pass for a future visit. Toys will be collected from April 1st through April 30th. Go to http://www.njcm.com/ for more information including toys specifications and drop-off times. Receiving a Certificate of Appreciation for their efforts is Josephine Napolitano, assistant manager of the museum, joined by Anthony, age 4, who enjoyed all the activities the museum has to offer.
Students from Hallowell Elementary School in Horsham, PA completed a toy drive to support Second Chance Toys of PA Earth Week toy donations. The program is one of many in the Bucks County area supporting plastic toy rescue and recycling efforts.
The Brownies of Pine Run Elementary School (Troop #21237) collected more than 60 gently used plastic toys and gave them to Second Chance Toys of PA for donation to underprivileged children during Earth Week. Second Chance Toys of PA is a community-based program that collects and recycles gently used plastic toys for distribution to disadvantaged children throughout the local region. The local Brownie troop is led by Priscilla Hoke. Pictured are Shelby Hoke, Priscilla’s daughter, with Kyle and Cara Scott, co-founders of Second Chance Toys of PA.
If you would like to donate plastic toys to the Second Chance Toys of PA effort, please call 215-990-8615 or email craigoscott@aol.com.
Over 450 Second Chance Toys were rescued by the students at the Hamilton Elementary School in Glen Rock, NJ as part of the school's Earth Day activities. The toys were donated to a local humanitarian organization, Helping Honduras to benefit their Niño Contento (Happy Child) program.
When local high school students, Kyle and Cara Scott, started Second Chance Toys of PA last summer, they knew it was a great idea but did not anticipate how quickly the community would pitch in.
Recently, an employee at Kulicke & Soffa read about Second Chance Toys of PA and decided to engage her fellow employees to help. She immediately presented this concept to the employee activities committee at the Fort Washington, PA-based Company of 2,700 worldwide employees and it was unanimously agreed that participation in this drive was an excellent way for Kulicke & Soffa to help. The company’s activities committee has already begun a campaign and has solicited its U.S. employees to collect gently used plastic toys that Kyle and Cara will be able to donate as part of the Earth Week toy donations they have planned for Second Chance Toys of PA. The K&S U.S. employees committee believes, “An effort like this brings out the best in all of our employees and we are excited about the opportunity to make a real, positive difference for the children. It’s the right thing to doâ€.
Kyle and Cara decided that Earth Week (April 18-27) was a perfect event for Second Chance Toys of PA to highlight for its next round of toy donations. “The purpose of Earth Week is to heighten awareness of environmental responsibility,†says Kyle Scott, a 16-year-old high school junior at George School, Newtown, PA). “This is a great time to remind everyone to recycle and donate their gently used plastic toys to make lots of deserving children happy.†Kyle’s sister, Cara Scott, a 15-year old high school freshman also at George School agrees. “We are helping the environment while making a lot of kids happy,†says Cara. “We are going to provide great toys to literally hundreds of kids during Earth Week. That is something our whole community should feel good about.â€
If you would like to donate plastic toys to the Second Chance Toys of PA effort, please call 215-990-8615 or email craigoscott@aol.com.
First NYC Affiliate Launched by Jocelyn Goldberg
Community service and “giving back†came to life for Jocelyn Goldberg a 7th-Grade Upper East-Sider last winter on a journey to Israel to celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of a close family friend. Traveling together with a group of 12 families (60 in total), Jocelyn had the opportunity to visit the birthplace of her ancestors and learn Israel’s magnificent history. Instrumental to her trip was learning about charity and the real meaning of “mitzvah†-- a Hebrew word that has come to express the act of human kindness. While there, Jocelyn helped raise money for orphans at Yeshiva Kiryat Arba in the holy city of Hebron in the West bank near the Jordanian border. She also helped prepare lunch for over 350 poor and homeless in Jerusalem at the Hazon Yeshaya Soup Kitchen. The trip kindled a passion for reaching out and helping the needy which she brought home with her to New York City.
Now, Jocelyn is turning 13 and has chosen Second Chance Toys as a way she can do a mitzvah for under privileged children. By establishing the NYC Affiliate, Jocelyn says she “hopes to bring the gift of joy and happiness to less fortunate children here in New York Cityâ€.
While Jocelyn is not in school, or finding new toy donations, she enjoys soccer, ice hockey, figure skating, horseback riding and preparing gourmet dinners for friends and family at home.
To donate your gently used plastic toys you can reach Jocelyn by emailing her at JocelynSCT@nyc.rr.com.
Sasha Lipton, founder of Second Chance Toys, receives the Student Spotlight in the April issue of The Highlander, the Governer Livingston High School newspaper. Recognized for her community leadership, Sasha indicated that seeing the smiling faces of the children receiving the rescued plastic toys is the ultimate satisfaction.
The Evergreen Elementary School PTA in Scotch Plains, NJ will be working with Second Chance Toys to collect and donate plastic toys during Earth Day (April 22, 2008). As part of this initiative, the students will be including personalized messages on special hang tags which will be placed on the toys. The toys will be donated to the Union County Department of Social Services which serves 3,000 families in the area.
A collection of Second Chance Toys was donated to the Elizabethport Tutorial Program held at the Central Presbyterian Church in Summit, NJ. Accepting the toys from Sasha Lipton, founder of Second Chance Toys (standing second from left) are Pat Reed program supervisor (sitting), Latoya Otis, head counselor (standing left), and counselors Jameela Abdus-Salaam (second from right) and Tywon Robinson (right). The toys were distributed to the entire group of students attenting the weekly tutorial program.
Four public elementary schools in the community of Paramus, New Jersey will be doing their part this April to help save the environment while providing a gift of happiness for needy children. As part of Earth Week 2008 observances, the Memorial, Midland, Parkway, and Ridge Ranch schools will be collecting clean, gently used plastic toys. Combined with lessons on the importance of recycling and doing good, this initiative will help contribute to keeping these toys out of our landfills. The rescued and recycled toys will be donated to organizations serving disadvantaged children throughout Bergen County, New Jersey.
The New Jersey Children's Museum will host "Celebrate Earth Day" the weekend of April 19 & 20. As part of the planned activities, the museum has teamed up with Second Chance Toys and will be accepting clean, gently used plastic toys from April 1 to April 30th and in return we will give a return pass for a future visit! During the "Celebrate Earth Day" weekend children will learn about the three R's- Reuse, Recycle, and Reduce. There will be a day full of activities that will teach children to help our environment and save the planet. The museum will be making crafts out of recycled objects. Other activities related to the event will include reading children's stories about the three R's, tips on how to Go Green at any age, and many more activities. To learn more about the New Jersey Children's Museum, please visit http://www.njcm.com or contact the museum at njcminfo@aol.com.
