My sister-in-law has put together a Toy Drive for the children who are still homeless in NY after Hurricane Sandy.  Erica decided to focus on Far Rockaway NY–one of the hardest hit areas.  She told me that the streets were still littered with cars literally on top of cars from water washing over them.  These military helicopters were flying in all day with food and clothing because too many roads are washed out to reach them via roads.  Erica said it is like being in another world, and yet they are only thirty minutes away from NYC.

People were cleaning out their homes with the cleaning service brooklyn, all wearing hazmat suits and face masks because of the mold, some got services as Phoenix house cleaning services for help with the house.  With a small team, she set up her table next to FEMA and Red Cross’s hot food donations.  Parents and children waited all day for their numbers to be called.

And one of the most painful parts was to see the loss of innocence on the children’s faces.  No happiness…until they were approached and asked what toys they would like for Christmas.  Then they were all smiles.

Erica and her team registered over 300 families that day, and she has families calling her every day since to be added to the list.  Each child is going to receive 2 toys and 2 pieces of clothing.  You can see all the details on the website called Hurricane Holiday Toys.  And you can also see the wish list the kids set up if you go to Amazon.com.  Just follow the instructions below to pick a toy and have it shipped to these kids.

If you can help with sponsoring one of these kids, that would be AMAZING!  Erica has recruited several churches and non-profit organizations to help in the NYC area, as well as the churches from her hometown in TN.  I told her that I would share it with all of you too because I know her team has a LOT of toys to gather so every child signed up is visited by magic, goodness and Santa this Christmas.

Thanks so much for doing what you can whether it’s purchasing a toy for the kids, praying for the families and Erica’s team or spreading the word!  You are awesome!

DEADLINE for SHOPPING on AMAZON for these KIDS IS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7th.

Toys will be delivered on Saturday, December 15th. 

See the list of the Most Requested Toys.  If shopping at Amazon do the following;

1. Go to Amazon’s main page and click on “Baby Registry” icon or this source.

3. Use these two passwords:  First Name–Hurricane / Last Name–Toys

4. Pick and purchase any of the toys that children have requested on the registry.  Your gift will be shipped to NY in time for delivery on December 15th.

DEADLINE to shop is THIS FRIDAY!

Thanks so much for caring so deeply!

xo,

m

p.s.  Thank you again for all your support on the launch of my Disney show “Capture Your Story”.  It is so exciting to get texts and tweets that some of you were catching it on TV this weekend.  Your unending faith and belief in our mission of empowering moms is incredible, and I simply can’t thank you enough.