By Madison Russ
For those struggling, the holidays can be a time that’s far from cheerful. But a group of local organizations are teaming up to host two events in Atlantic City aimed at making the holidays a little brighter for those in need.
In the spirit of giving, Angels in Motion, alongside The Leadership Studio, the Midtown Atlantic City Community Development Corporation, Andy’s Glow Foundation, Atlantic Cape Community College and The Positive Pursuit, will host a toy wrapping party on Friday, Dec. 20, from 4-7 p.m. at Atlantic Cape Community College’s Atlantic City campus. Volunteers will help wrap up the generous toy donations that have poured in from the community to help brighten the season for local children.
On Saturday, Dec. 21, the festivities will continue at the Hope for the Holidays event at Brown’s Park from 2-5 p.m. Volunteers will hand out the wrapped toys to children along with hats and gloves for adults and teens. The event will also feature music, arts and crafts, face painting, food, a hot chocolate station and information on community resources, such as mental health support and electrical assistance.
“It’s a beautiful event,” said Susan Long, executive director of Angels in Motion, a local nonprofit aimed at supporting individuals impacted by substance use disorder and homelessness. “I think about the kids last year and the smiles on their faces and dancing and everybody having a good time. It’s just a really wonderful way to get together and to celebrate each other and the holidays.”
Hope for the Holidays, which Long said started about five years ago, is expecting a big turnout. Already, they’re preparing to feed around 500 eventgoers.
Long said the community has been “so generous” filling up toy donation boxes across South Jersey, with some donors even dropping items off at her home. But with a large crowd expected, it’s clear they’ll need every toy they can get.
“We have about 50 boxes out in the community at different businesses. I think we maybe had 30 last year, and we couldn’t believe how many children showed up last year. I think we had 500 kids come,” Long said. “We had exactly one gift left when we were finished.”
Long said the organization is still looking for extra hands to help with the event and tackle wrapping the mountain of donations.
“Anybody is welcome to come join us. We could use a lot of volunteers, too. There’s probably going to be about 1 million gifts to wrap, and they’re the same gifts we’ll give out the next day,” Long said. “We would like to have at least 50 [volunteers] for the Hope for the Holidays event.”
For those willing to roll up their sleeves to assist with wrapping, Long asked that volunteers bring extra wrapping paper and tape. Volunteers can also bring additional toy donations to the party, and she noted there’s still a need for $10 gift cards to Dollar General and Dunkin’ Donuts.
More than the smiles and joy the event brings, seeing those Angels in Motion has helped in the past get involved with the event is especially meaningful for Long. For some, it’s a full-circle moment.
“We have people that volunteer and are coming out to help us that day that used to be on the street themselves, and that’s always so impactful. It brings tears to my eyes,” said Long. “A lot of the people we helped get off the street and into recovery, almost all of them that are doing well volunteer for us now — people who were living under the boardwalk, living in stairwells.”
For those looking to continue giving back into the new year, Long said there are plenty of ways to get involved with Angels in Motion year-round, from helping with their “Blessing Bags” and outreach to fundraising and making sandwiches.
“There’s always different things going on and ways to give back with us,” said Long.
For more information on volunteering or hosting a community resource table at Hope for the Holidays, visit www.leadershipstudioac.com/hope.html.
Toy donations, new hats and gloves and $10 gift cards to Dunkin’ Donuts or Dollar General can be brought to the wrapping party on Friday, Dec. 20, at Atlantic Cape Community College’s Charles D. Worthington Atlantic City campus.
To coordinate a donation drop-off, reach out to Susan Long at aim.angelsinmotionnj@gmail.com. To get involved with Angels in Motion, visit www.angelsinmotionnj.com.
Madison Russ is an award-winning journalist, copy editor and adjunct professor of communication based in Atlantic County. An Ocean City native, Madison is passionate about telling stories that matter to locals, often spotlighting nonprofits and exploring the area’s vibrant arts scene.
