On December 11, 2016 the Bay Area Christian Church (BACC) will be hosting its Holiday Celebration Service “It’s a Wonderful Life” and 9th annual Toy Drive at the Santa Clara Convention Center. This festive event is a holiday favorite for many all over the Bay Area. One of the highlights of this event is the annual Toy Drive that collects toys for the thousands of children who are in adoption or foster care programs, hospitals and underserved neighborhoods in the Bay Area. Over the previous eight years the BACC has collected more than 13,000 items in the form of toys, gift cards and cash to meet the needs of 14 different agencies representing over 15,000 children ages 0-18 years old.
If you’d like to donate, here’s how to get involved:
Who: Bay Area Christian Church
What: Annual Holiday Celebration Service and Toy Drive for needy Bay Area youth
Where: Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, CA
When: Sunday, December 11, 2016 at 2:00PM
Why: The purpose of the BACC’s annual Holiday Service and toy drive to is draw members of the Bay Area community to join in celebrating the season with song, fellowship and an opportunity to give to the less fortunate.
How to Donate:
On Sunday December 11th: Bring an unwrapped toy, gift card or cash donation and drop off at 2PM at either of two Toy Drive collection areas at the Santa Clara Convention Center parking garage entrance or the front turnabout.
Until Friday, December 23rd: Collect toys at your place of employment, neighborhood, charity organization or school and contact us at toydrive@bacc.cc to arrange drop-off or pick-up of the donations.
Quotes from a few of our 2015 Toy Drive recipients:
“The gifts provided by BACC light up our kids’ faces every year. Not only are they awesome to play with but the kids also know there are people in the community who they have never met that want them to have a great Christmas and that love and care about them. “
Evan Jones
Mid-Peninsula Boys & Girls Club“Words can’t fully describe the impact of your donation. But, you can see it in the excitement on the kids’ faces, the relief and overwhelming gratitude on the parents’ faces, and the joy on the faces of all the staff and volunteers. Thank you so much for helping to make a little Christmas magic for those in need.”
Jessica Mitchell, Annual Giving Manager
Samaritan House“One teenager who lives in a group home was really surprised when he received gifts for Christmas. He said he never gets anything for Christmas. Your donation allowed us to provide him with a few gifts, and he said the gifts were right on the mark.”
Chawn Howard, Community Liaison,
Family Builders by Adoption
Bay Area Recipients of the 2016 Toy Drive Donations:
- A Better Way – An adoption/foster care agency
- Family Builders by Adoption – Foster care/adoption services
- Sunnyvale Community Services – Serving low-income families experiencing homelessness and hunger
- Horizons Unlimited of SF, Inc. – Serving at-risk youth in San Francisco County, particularly the Mission District
- UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Child Life Services – Serving children and teens experiencing illness and undergoing treatment at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital
- United Advocates for Children and Families – Serving children impacted by mental, emotional and behavioral challenges
- DeFremery Center – serving children and teens in the heart of West Oakland
- Parent Voices – A parent-run organization making quality child care accessible and affordable for low-income families
- Love Never Fails – Serving at-risk children
- Sunday Friends- Serving families impacted by poverty
- Samaritan House – Serving the needy to provide food, shelter, healthcare and supportive services
- Oak Center Cultural Center, Inc. – A resource center for Oakland’s underserved neighborhoods
- California Pacific Medical Center Child Life Specialists – Helping children who are experiencing illness, injury or hospitalization
- Mid-Peninsula Boys and Girls Club – Offering a hand to children in underserved Peninsula neighborhoods
