A toy under every tree

Lighthouse Missionadopts the South Country School District

Every year, Lighthouse Mission teams up with the South Country School District’s social workers and hands out thousands of free gifts to local families in need.

Each year, the organization compiles wish-list bags filled with toys for pickup, most recently inside their Bellport location and formerly a shopping experience at the Kreamer Street Elementary gymnasium, serving over 500 South Country families, most with multiple children.

This year, pastor Jim Ryan expects to assist well more than 1,000 underprivileged local children and teenagers. He said that although the community always seems to provide, there is always a large need for teen-aged donations.

An uncountable number of toys have been donated in years past, often allowing each parent to bring home at least two toys per child, with items ranging from teddy bears, dolls and games, to bikes and more. The parents are then able to take home those gifts and wrap them and put them under the tree.

“It makes them feel good rather than us,” he said of the idea behind letting the parents pick up their items.

This year’s event took place at the Lighthouse Mission in late December for qualifying families.

All future donations can be dropped off at the mission, located on Montauk Highway in Bellport, during regular business hours. Or visit www.lighthousemission.com for monetary donations. Also, winter coat donations are always needed throughout the year. 

There is still time to donate to our holiday greeting fund and see your greeting printed in upcoming editions. We invite our readers to contribute whatever they care to give. Checks are held in an escrow account until after the holidays, and then the money is distributed to the Lighthouse Mission. Checks should be made payable to The Long Island Advance with a notation of the “Holiday Greeting Fund.”