Citi Global Community Day 2023: Double Duty with SCT

Once again Citi has shown their devotion to the environment during the yearly Global Community Day campaign with another initiative alongside Second Chance Toys. This year’s projects were extremely special as Citi and SCT were able to come together in person for the first time since 2019 to screen toys in a close-to-home experience. 

To celebrate this in-person reunification, on June 24 the Citi Volunteers team, led by Program Manager and longtime SCT contact and friend, Reem Aliessa, sent a delegation of volunteers to SCT year-round toy drop-off location, Paramus, NJ Recycling and Public Works. This awesome volunteer crew spent the morning screening donated toys in preparation for distribution to SCT recipient organizations in nearby Essex County. The comprehensive process included unloading, sorting, cleaning, refurbishing, and finally repacking items that were dropped off at the collection site and getting them in good-as-new shape so they could be picked-up and for distribution and programming within the following week. 

Second Chance Toys arranged for pick-up the following week, and on Monday June, 26 all 400 cleaned and refreshed toys were delivered to SCT recipient organization and partner, Saydah’s Community Action Center of Newark, NJ. All toys were distributed to children and families that Saydah’s team serves in Newark's Central Ward. 

In addition to the hands-on opportunity, Citi also provided a chance for families in the community to sustainably declutter their own homes, while making an environmental and social impact. Citi Volunteers and the building management team arranged to have space in the NYC HeadQuarters office where employees could bring their gently-used toys for donation. Over the course of two weeks the Citi Volunteers team also sent out communications to employees about the declutter opportunity. 

At the end of the collection period, SCT provided pick-up and delivery to the matching organization, Yaseen Orphans Foundation of the Bronx, NY. These toys were distributed at a community July 4th celebration, leaving just over one week’s time until the toys met the hands of deserving children, and completing a successful turnkey initiative. 

All together this Global Community Day 2023, Citi volunteers made an incredible double impact by diverting at least 2,000 pounds of unnecessary plastic waste from landfills, while simultaneously matching that potential waste with the growing need for toys in underserved communities. With a total of 500 screened toys recirculated, Citi has also positively benefited at least 1,000 children with each round of shared play.

Second Chance Toys is extremely proud to call the entire Citi community our Valued Supporter, partners, and friends and we look forward to continuing to innovate and create lasting impacts together for many years to come.