Toys Needed to Bring Holiday Joy to Area Children

Fort Myers, FL, December 15, 2012 --(PR.com)-- The Heights Foundation and Brightest Horizons Child Development Center are seeking organizations and individuals to participate in annual Harlem Heights Community Toy Drive. Local residents, businesses and philanthropic groups are asked to donate new, unwrapped toys for local children. Gifts are needed for more than 500 children, ranging in age from birth to 17 years of age.

The gifts will be distributed on Saturday, December 22 at the Heights Center’s “Holiday Wonderland” where each child will have the opportunity to choose a toy.

"This holiday season will again be challenging for many families in the Harlem Heights neighborhood," said Julie Workman, Director of Programs and Community Relations for the Heights Foundation. "This is a great opportunity to bring joy to the children of our community. We are thankful for the generous support of our neighbors."

Toys can be dropped off at The Heights Foundation, 15570 Hagie Drive, or Brightest Horizons located at 10320 Gladiolus Drive, Fort Myers. Toys will be collected through Friday, December 21.

Volunteers are also needed to assist with event set up and at the event.

Organizations and individuals interested in participating can contact Julie Workman at (239) 482-7706 or Julie@heightsfoundation.org. All donations are tax deductible. Monetary donations can be made on the web at www.heightsfoundation.org/get-involved.

About the Heights Foundation and the Heights Center

The Heights Center, supported by the Heights Foundation, is a place for Education, Opportunity, and Enrichment. We work to build strong, self-sufficient families in the Harlem Heights neighborhood. As a 501(c)3 grassroots organization, the Center’s mission is to promote family and community development, support education, health and wellness, and provide the benefits of enrichment, expressive and cultural arts. The Heights Center is under construction and will be completed this December.

Harlem Heights was originally settled as a rural agricultural community. Approximately 1,200 children live in a mixture of single-family homes and multi-family apartments. Demographically, the population is approximately 55% Hispanic, 36% African-American, and 9% Caucasian. The poverty rate for children in Harlem Heights is more than twice the county average, with family income 40% below the county average. Families are not able to easily access family support services located in downtown Fort Myers, and benefit greatly from programs located within the neighborhood.

About Brightest Horizons Child Development Center

For more than 38 years, Brightest Horizons has been serving children of low-income working families in the Greater Harlem Heights area of Fort Myers, Florida. A state-licensed, not-for-profit United Way organization providing educational programs for 163 children from four weeks to 12 years of age, Brightest Horizons is nationally accredited through APPLE and has been awarded the Gold Seal of Excellence by the State of Florida. For more information call (239) 481-2100.