Electric Paradise holds toy
drive for children’s hospital
BY STEVEN GOODSTEIN
A local business owner
held a holiday toy drive earlier
this month to benefi t a
children’s hospital as well as
a non-profi t organization for
kids.
Michael Poli, owner of tanning
salon Electric Paradise
located at 3221 Westchester
Avenue, organized and orchestrated
a toy drive fundraiser
for the fi rst two weeks
of December to donate toys
and winter accessories to
needy children.
In total, Poli and Electric
Paradise raised money to donate
a total of 8,000 toys in just
two weeks this holiday season
- 2,000 more toys than last
year’s fundraiser generated.
The toys were donated to
the kids of the Ronald McDonald
House of the Greater Hudson
Valley as well as children
patients at the nearby Maria
Fareri Children’s Hospital at
Westchester Medical Center
in Valhalla.
The collection of toys,
which included board games,
Legos, art materials, Barbie
dolls, toy helicopters, toy dinosaurs
and more items.
Clothing was also donated
to the children’s hospital including
onesies, hats, gloves
and blankets to keep kids
warm and comfortable during
the cold winter months.
This was the third year
that Electric Paradise held a
toy drive fundraiser. In total,
Poli and Electric Paradise
raised over $4,000 for this
year’s drive, surpassing their
original goal of obtaining
$3,000 for the fundraiser.
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, D 34 ECEMBER 20-26, 2019 BTR
The $4,106 donated from
various local businesses
translated into the 8,000 toys
that were donated to the Maria
Fareri Children’s Hospital
and the Ronald McDonald
House.
In the two previous years,
the toys from the fundraisers
were donated to the Children’s
Hospital at Montefi ore.
Electric Paradise also collaborated
on toy drive initiatives
with Conti’s Pastry Shoppe in
the past.
“We love to help the community
and we love to help
kids - and what better time
to do that than during the
holidays,” said Poli, who was
raised in Country Club and
attended Our Lady of Assumption
School in Pelham
Bay. “The purpose of this
fundraiser is to give something
back to less fortunate
A portion of the toy collection, which were donated to the children at
the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House in
Westchester County. Photo courtesy of Electric Paradise
children who are in need.”
He also said that the birth
of his now three-year old
daughter was another reason
his business started organizing
toy giveaways.
“This is a special endeavor
that I hope will greatly benefi
t these kids - and I hope to be
involved in this fundraiser for
as long as I can,” Poli added.
Michael also specifi cally
thanked Tiffany Massagli,
Chris Daniello and Dom Ciccone
from fl ooring store Ex-
We love to help
the community and
we love to help
kids - and what
better time to do
that than during
the holidays.
Michael Poli
quisite Tile for playing such
an important role in helping
with the toy drive.
Poli has been the owner of
Electric Paradise since 2006.
He also owns another Electric
Paradise location in Carmel,
NY.
The Pelham Bay location
celebrated its 10-year milestone
in 2016 with an anniversary
sale, an event that
also included free food and an
Electric Paradise t-shirt giveaway.