The annual Chieffo Family Toy Drive, held on December 14th, marked its 20th year with a festive celebration featuring the Malcolm X Shabazz High School Band, Santa Claus, and various entertainment activities. The event, organized by Mike Chieffo and his wife Michelle, collected over 5,000 toys to benefit the American Cancer Society, honoring Chieffo's late father who was civically involved in Belleville.
Published: Dec. 23, 2024, 7:30 a.m.Chieffo Family Toy Drive features Malcolm X Shabazz High School Band in 20th year on Dec. 14The culmination of the annual Chieffo Family Toy Drive didn’t attract the odd news camera the way it usually does, not with drone sightings being all the rage, but in Nutley, Mike Chieffo’s event attracted many residents on their street and people from all over Essex County.
“I grew up in Belleville and when I was 12 years old, my father died of Burkitt’s leukemia,” Chieffo said. “I started this probably when I was about 18. I always loved Christmas, so I started doing this animated Christmas display in front of my mother’s house, and then two years or later after that or so I was like, ‘Let’s give back somehow.’”
“I just think we have huge support from our community, from local police, fire department, from all of the schools,” Michelle Chieffo said. “Generally everyone does a collection within the school. We have our local churches donating and a lot of small businesses; they act as drop-off locations so that if people are out and about and they can’t make it on the night of, they’re able to drop toys locally around town.
“All of the toys go to or serve different purposes,” said Mike Chieffo. “For oncology outpatients … Those toys are sorted in a room. Toys are organized by age and category. Families come in, and they’re able to shop for their children. When their kids are sick, they don’t have time to do that. For kids that are sick at the hospital or at a women’s shelter, the toys serve a tremendous purpose.”
Toy Drive Community Event Charity Malcolm X Shabazz Christmas
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