Bronx toy drive
brings joy to youth
Fifth annual toy drive is a collab between
Electric Paradise and others
BY ALEX MITCHELL
You don’t need to look
toward the North Pole for a
dash of kindness and generosity
this holiday season.
Local Bronx and
Westchester businesses have
organized an ongoing new
and gently used toy drive to
give children placed in one
of three Help USA Morris
Shelter locations throughout
the borough something
to smile about in 2020.
The toy drive was organized
by Michael Poli and
Tiffany Messagli of Pelham
Bay Park tanning salon Electric
Paradise, Christina and
Gianna Safet of Conti’s Pastry
Shoppe on Morris Park
Avenue, Chris Daniello and
DSNY, along with Dominic
Ciccone’s Scarsdale-based
Exquisite Tile.
This is the fi fth consecutive
year that Poli has run a
holiday toy drive, which he
found inspiration to do after
the birth of his daughter fi ve
years ago.
During that time, Poli
and others worked with the
Children’s Hospital at Montefi
ore (CHAM) and the Ronald
McDonald Foundation.
Last year, Poli said that they
raised over $8,500 in toys,
gift cards and cash.
“I think we’re going to
surpass that this year,”
he added.
He projected that donations
would exceed over
$10,000 this holiday season,
thanks greatly to loyal customers
doing their part for
such a powerful cause.
He also commended the
partnering businesses for
not allowing the craziness
of 2020 to obstruct the mission
Claire Friedlander Family Foundation supports ‘Your Voice, Your Viewpoint’ campaign
The winners of the “Your Voice, Your Viewpoint” campaign are:
BRONX TIMES R 22 EPORTER, DECEMBER 11-17, 2020 BTR
at hand, saying, “we’re
all extremely busy but committed
to this and that’s
something I am incredibly
proud of.”
Donations for the toy
drive will remain open until
Sunday, Dec. 20. Submissions
can be dropped off at
each of the three participating
businesses: Electric Paradise
at 3221 Westchester
Ave., Conti’s Pastry Shoppe
at 786 Morris Park Ave., and
Exquisite Tile of 402 Central
Park Ave. in Westchester.
“There’s nothing better
than to give back to those
in need, especially in 2o20,”
Poli said.
In response to this summer’s
Black Lives Matter protests and
demonstrations, Schneps Media,
under Co-Publisher Victoria Schneps
launched a campaign to put a voice
to uncover systemic racism which
exists for the Black and brown
population in New York City.
Schneps Media’s “Your Voice, Your
Viewpoint” campaign invited students
ranging from eighth grade through
college to submit essays, poems,
videos and TikToks on the topic.
Peter Klein, president of the Claire
Friedlander Foundation, awarded a
$15,000 grant to Queensborough
Community College to help encourage
students to submit their stories.
Klein, who is also the Chief Investment
(Melville, NY) and author of two books
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Charitable Foundation, 2012), said he
felt compelled to help launch the “Your
Voice, Your Viewpoint” campaign.
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career, I understand the impact,
influence, and importance of the
written word,” Klein said.
For many years, Klein served as an
investment advisor for the late Claire
Friedlander, a Holocaust survivor who
immigrated to New York and became
blessed with wealth. She established
the foundation and asked Klein to
advocate for her beliefs.
“Civil rights, human rights,
eliminating intolerance, prejudice,
racism, bias, and stereotyping were
important issues to Claire,” Klein
said. “She inspired people, especially
students, to stand up, speak out,
engaging in freedom of expression –
rights taken away from many during
the Holocaust.”
Klein said he believes that the
Claire Friedlander Foundation’s
partnership with Schneps Media and
Queensborough Community College
for the “Your Voice, Your Viewpoint”
campaign can “energize citizens to
become drivers of positive social
change in their communities.”
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a vital college campus which can
attract students and a prominent
media platform which can spread
communication and dialogue on
these issues,” Klein added.
Peter Klein
The winning entries were selected
by a panel of Queensborough
Community College students, with
a $500 prize given to each winner.
Grand Prize
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Grand Prize
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Central Park East High School
Runner Up
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Runner Up
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Panel’s Honorable Mention
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Video Submission (“The Invisible Man”)
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