Dual toy drives by SFPD officers and professional staff enable thousands of San Francisco kids to share in the joy of the holidays (Video Link at End of News Release) 20-149
**Video at end of news release**
Undeterred by the challenges of a once-in-a-century pandemic and motivated by economic hardships too many local families have had to face in 2020, the San Francisco Police Department doubled down on its charitable efforts this holiday season — spearheading two separate toy drive campaigns that are enabling kids citywide to share in the joy of the holidays.
Toy drives and fundraisers to benefit underserved and at-risk communities are a longstanding holiday tradition for San Francisco police officers and professional staff, and 2020 marks the fifth year of the department’s collaboration with Walgreens on SFPD’s Annual Toy Drive program. This year, that partnership facilitated the collection of more than 2,000 toys at Walgreen’s stores citywide, assuring holiday presents for children who might otherwise have gone without. Toys donated through the generous support of Walgreens’ customers have been distributed by volunteers from SFPD and Walgreens to numerous local community-based organizations, including the San Francisco Public Housing Authority; the Healing Circle for the Soul Support Group; House of Imani Foundation; La Voz; Tenderloin Housing Clinic; Latino Task Force; and the Community Housing Project.
Another toy drive — funded largely by donations from SFPD officers and professional staff — was the result of a successful partnership between the Northern Police Station Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB) and Another Planet Entertainment, one of the nation’s top independent concert promoters. The toy drive fundraiser raised more than $15,000 in its inaugural outing, enabling the Northern District CPAB to purchase more than 1,900 toys for San Francisco kids.
The toys have been distributed through community-based organizations all over the City, including: the Asian Pacific American Community Center; Third Baptist Church; Sisters Circle Women’s Support Networks; Buchannan YMCA; Western Addition Library; Tenderloin Housing Clinic; A. Philip Randolph Institute of San Francisco; Family House, Ella Hill Hutch Community Center; United Playaz; Black to the Future; Tenderloin Neighborhood Development; Up on Top; Treasure Island Community Housing Partnership; and the Latino Task Force.
“The Christmas Toy Drive serves as just one of many community events that the San Francisco Police Department is involved in every year to help meet the needs of the community particularly during the holiday season,” said Commander Daryl Fong of the SFPD Community Engagement Division. “The SFPD has a long and rich history of working with neighborhood and community groups to support our community and we are very proud to be a part of these efforts.”
“I’m really excited to be part of this collaboration between the Northern Station CPAB, Another Planet and the SFPD,” said Mary Conde, Director of Production, Another Planet Entertainment. “I think it’s really great that SFPD members paid for these toys and SFPD officers and ALERT volunteers get to pass out the toys to children throughout the City.”
“All of us in the San Francisco Police Department are grateful to our holiday season partners from Walgreens, Another Planet Entertainment, and the many communities we so proudly protect and serve for the success of this year’s toy drives, which mean so much to thousands of San Francisco kids and their families,” said San Francisco Police Chief William Scott. “I’m also exceptionally proud of the officers and professional staff members of the SFPD for contributing more than $15,000 to our additional toy drive this year through our Northern Station CPAB. Our members’ generosity in this endeavor is just one example of our ongoing community engagement efforts across the City.”
“With the logistical complications Covid-19 precautions have imposed on our North Pole-based global distribution facility this year, we’re especially grateful for the generous assist San Francisco has lent us to ensure that every kid gets a toy to share in the spirit of the holiday season,” said Santa Claus. “Thanks to the San Francisco Police Department; Walgreens Stores and their customers; Another Planet Entertainment; SFPD’s Northern District CPAB and everyone who made 2020’s SFPD toy drives such a success.”
SFPD officers, ALERT volunteers, and Northern CPAB members distribute toys. Watch SFPD 2020 Holiday Toy Drive video.