Jocelyn Goldberg, a 13-year-old Upper East Side student who founded the NY chapter of Second Chance Toys, has organized a citywide toy collection to mark Earth Week and National Child Abuse Month. Second Chance Toys is an organization that recycles gently used plastic toys by donating them to children in need. Schools, religious organizations and businesses throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn have mobilized drives to recycle plastic toys which do not biodegrade and often wind up in city landfills. Donations go to community based organizations serving families in need.
According to Jocelyn, "this drive gives kids a chance to help other kids through a program that focuses on those less fortunate and the environment. In a large city like NY, there can be a great disparity between those that have and those that don't. It is a great lesson for students to get involved and give up something of their own to help others."
Plastic toys are being collected and transported to local charities and community shelters by 1-800-GOT-Junk?, a full service junk removal company which has volunteered its trucks for transport.
Many of the of toys collected this week are being donated to the Prospect Family Support Center, a crisis center for women and children from Abused Families. According to Dona Anderson, Senior Program Associate & Camp Services Coordinator, "Homes for the Homeless provides early on-site childcare and childhood education to over 100 young homeless children every day. National Child Abuse Month is a special time of year that acknowledges the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse in all its forms". For more information on Homes for the Homeless programs and services please go to go to http://www.homesforthehomeless.com/
