Toy drives share holiday spirit with communities in need

For the holiday season, several groups on campus are organizing toy drives to support children and families in Boston.

The Latino/a Student Cultural Center is collecting unwrapped toys and clothing for families at the Elizabeth Stone House, a shelter for families in Jamaica Plain. The LSCC has posted a wish list from each family member online and donations will be collected at the LSCC, located at 104 Forsyth St., through Friday, Dec. 16.

The Elizabeth Stone House serves homeless families and individuals by helping them develop goals and skills to resolve the issues — such as domestic violence, substance abuse and mental illness — that led them to become homeless.

“We try and seek out shelters that have bilingual families,” said Rebecca Veira, the LSCC assistant director. “We’re trying to support the community that we serve here at Northeastern, and it’s important for us to reach out to our communities beyond the university as well.”

The unwrapped gifts then go to the Elizabeth Stone House, where staff and parents hold an annual party to wrap the gifts ahead of Christmas Day.

For more information about the LSCC toy drive, contact LSCC@neu.edu or call (617) 373-5845.

Northeastern’s Office of City and Community Affairs office is also running a toy drive, with donations being distributed by Project Hope in Roxbury.

Donation boxes are located at three-dozen locations across campus. For more information, contact Anna Sylvester in the Office of City and Community Affairs at (617) 373-3168 or a.sylvester@neu.edu.