Mayor Ganim Unites Community to Raise Funds for Stolen Christmas Toys

CITY EFFORT RESULTS IN NEARLY $2,000 TO PURCHASE TOYS FOR TOTS

from Dalmarys Matos, (203) 576-7201, dalmarys.matos@bridgeportct.gov

(Dec. 5, 2018) — Bridgeport, CT – Mayor Joe Ganim is uniting the Bridgeport community to support Toys for Tots Christmas drive to replace the nearly 1,000 toys designated for local children that were stolen from the Greater Bridgeport Christian Fellowship Church (GBCF) this past weekend.

“We are going to make every effort to ensure no child is left without a toy,” said Mayor Ganim. “We want to turn around this heartbreaking situation into a Christmas miracle to demonstrate the resilience and compassion of the Bridgeport community.”

The City of Bridgeport has raised nearly $2,000 in supportive contributions and community donations collected during the Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting on Monday night with the help of the Bridgeport Fire Department. The funds will be used to repurchase toys to provide 6,000 local children with gifts to open on Christmas morning.

Marine Toys for Tots Coordinator and Pastor of GBCF Eric Torres said, “We are grateful to the Mayor and the City of Bridgeport for their contribution and for helping us get the word out to recover the 1,000 toys that have been stolen from us. We are still in need to meet our goal to serve the 1,600 families registered for holiday assistance but we will forever be grateful for the generous hearts of those individuals who have responded from near and far to ensure that every child in our community is able to smile on Christmas.”

Those interested in donating to the cause can call 203-726-3614 or 203-726-3610, or visit https://bridgeport-ct.toysfortots.org/local-coordinator-sites/lco-sites/default.aspx 

###

Dalmarys Matos
Communications and Media Specialist
Office of Mayor |City of Bridgeport
Margaret E. Morton Government Center
999 Broad Street|Bridgeport, CT 06604
P: (203) 333-2843
E: dalmarys.matos@bridgeportct.gov