Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue officers visited the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club of Wellington on Thursday, Dec. 17 to deliver donated toys to club children. It was a celebration that only happened due to an outpouring of community support.
The economic downturn caused by the pandemic threatened to ruin the holidays for thousands of Boys & Girls Clubs members across the county, but thanks to record-breaking support from community sponsors and individual donors, the holiday was saved. Every club member received at least one holiday gift and an extra-special holiday party held at the club. The annual Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County gift drive started slowly this year, but due to the generous sponsorship of GL Homes, media coverage and social media shares, the holiday gift campaign surpassed all expectations and records.
“There was real concern that our club members were going to be disappointed this holiday season with not enough toys and gifts to go around. Thanks to overwhelming community support, our area’s most disadvantaged children will have a happy holiday after all,” said Eric Roby, marketing, public relations and holiday gift drive director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County.
While donations were smaller this year, more people donated, and widespread community support more than made up for the shortfall of gifts. Despite challenges, traditional corporate sponsors like the Breakers Palm Beach and Office Depot continued to be the backbone of the holiday gift drive, while newer partners like GL Homes helped meet the goal.
For the first time, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County was the charity of choice for the Lake Clarke Shores Holiday Boat Parade. New partners like Park View Properties helped to get more than a dozen other businesses involved with the gift drive. Nonprofits like the Boca West Children’s Foundation, Spirit of Giving and the Rocking Horse Foundation also pulled out all of the stops this year.
“It’s heartwarming to see our community pull together in a time of such great need,” Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County President & CEO Jaene Miranda said
Founded in 1971, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County is a not-for-profit youth development organization dedicated to promoting the educational, vocational, health, leadership and character of boys and girls in a safe, nurturing environment.
For more information, visit www.bgcpbc.org or call (561) 683-3287.
