Whitestone resident launches Christmas
toy drive to help local families in need
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Whitestone resident Arianna
Sorrento is bringing a
smile to children’s faces this
holiday season through her
Christmas Toy Drive, Operation:
Give Back.
Sorrento has partnered
with the We Love Whitestone
Civic Association to establish
several drop-off locations
within the community
and in Long Island City and
Brooklyn.
When Sorrento was furloughed
from her job in April
amid the COVID-19 pandemic,
she wanted to give back to
the community, she said.
“Once the weather got
colder and time went by, I realized
there’s a lot more people
suffering than I am right
now, especially with COVID
and everything else happening
in life,” Sorrento said. “I
just wanted to use the time
that I had off to give back to
people who really need it during
this time of the year.”
Sorrento had started the
toy drive on Dec. 1. To date,
she has collected an estimated
total of 2,000 toys exceeding
her goal of 500 toys. According
to Sorrento, she had
created a GoFundMe campaign,
raising under $1,600
from donations by close family
and friends. The funds
were then used to purchase
the toys.
“I never thought that it
would become this big,” Sorrento
said. “I’m so grateful
and thankful for the people
in the communities who
wanted to help me help others,
and bring a smile to so
many children this year. It’s
really incredible with the
amount of toys I’ve gotten.”
With so many bags of toys,
Sorrento, along with friends
and family, made deliveries to
several locations, including
St. Margaret Mary Church,
Our Lady of Sorrows Church,
Ronald McDonald House,
Little Flowers Orphanage,
Bridge to Life Foundation,
Corona Ambulatory Corp.
and Astoria Houses.
Since St. Mary’s Children’s
Hospital isn’t accepting
physical donations this
year due to COVID-19, they
Gift wrapped presents from the Christmas toy drive. Photos courtesy of Arianna Sorrento
provided Sorrento with an
Amazon registry link that
was posted on the We Love
Whitestone page, where people
can buy a toy and send it
directly to the hospital.
“I want to thank everyone
who donated,” Sorrento
said. “The turnout is really
incredible and I would like to
do it again next year.”
Alfredo Centola, president
of the We Love Whitestone
Civic Association, said they
were proud to be part of the
amazing toy drive along with
its merchant members.
“Once again another
young member of our community
has stepped up to
give back. Thank you Whitestone
and our surrounding
communities for making this
an incredibly successful toy
drive,” Centola said. “A huge
thank you to all the local
businesses listed on the flyer
for donating toys, time and
space and serving as drop-off
locations. Thank you, Arianna
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.2 COM | DEC. 25-DEC. 31, 2020
for getting up, getting out
and getting involved.”
Donations to the toy drive
will be accepted until Sunday,
Dec. 20.
New and unwrapped children’s
toys for infants to 18-
year-olds can be dropped off
at the following locations:
• Harpell Pharmacy – 150th
Street and 14th Avenue
• Exxon Gas Station – Clintonville
and Service Road
• Bagel Parlor – 14-37 150th
St. across from the Post
Office
• Whitepointe Cleaners – 132-
07 14th Ave., Whitepointe
Shopping Center
• Centro Pizza Bar and Italian
Kitchen – 47-23 Vernon
Blvd., Long Island City
• Fabio’s Pizzeria in Brooklyn
– 635 Meeker Ave.,
Brooklyn
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.com
or by phone at (718) 260–4526.
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