An organization that makes the holidays come true for more than 2,000 inner-city kids in Palm Beach County is making a plea for more donations before Christmas.
Jacquelyn Newberry is a retired Palm Beach County Schools bus driver. She's on a fixed income raising her 11-year-old granddaughter, Alexis.
“The grandmother always takes that first born, the first girl,” said Newberry, with a smile.
They're one of about 650 families that relies on a pop-up Christmas Store, a place where inner-city parents can shop for free gifts for their children.
“It's a big help because I probably could not have afforded [it], without having to go to family members and ask for the help,” explained Newberry.
Urban Youth Impact is the group behind the Christmas Store. The non-profit provides outreach and after school programs for kids in West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and soon Boynton Beach.
“We wanted to make sure that the families in our community, who many times had difficulty putting food on the table, or keeping lights on at home, were able to provide gifts and toys for their children,” explained Pam Newsome, the community liaison for Urban Youth Impact
Toys are sorted, bagged and stored in a building on site before the Christmas store opens. Urban Youth Impact tries to have enough bikes for at least 150 families. The goal is to collect 10,000 toys, 300 bikes and electronics like tablets.
“We constantly talk with parents who tell us if it were not for this event that they wouldn't be able to provide gifts for their children,” explained Newsome.
Making the holidays brighter thanks to those who take the time to give.
Urban Youth Impact will hold two Christmas Stores this year. One on Saturday, December 12 at the Roosevelt Full Service Center in West Palm Beach. The other, a week later, on December 19 at the Stony Brook Apartments in Riviera Beach. The stores open at 8 a.m. but folks start lining up four hours earlier.
To donate new toys, drop them off at Urban Youth Impact, 2823 North Australian Avenue, West Palm Beach.
To donate money and for more information on volunteering, check out the organization’s website: http://www.urbanyouthimpact.com/
Urban Youth Impact also has an Amazon Wish List:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/1PYCAIOZ5JD1M