The holidays may be a time for long lines, cookie baking and endless gift wrapping, but they're also a time for reaching out to others in need.
To keep up with the spirit of giving, Chicago charities and organizations did their part this season to make sure everyone has the best holiday possible.
Amling's Cycle Shop partnered with Toys for Tots for its annual Holiday Toy Ride December 14. According to Amling's employee Julie Keating, participants donated at least one toy each and rode 12.5 miles through the city.
Riders started at the shop and ended at the restaurant Mystic Celt, one of the sponsors of the ride who provided a free breakfast buffet. Additionally, one of the Marines with Toys for Tots spoke to everyone about their mission.
"Everybody that does the ride says it's the best ride they've ever done," Keating said.
This year, the ride yielded around 800 toys and 83 riders participated. Keating said the event was inspired by the desire to help children in need. Plus, due to the economic crisis, Toys for Tots is "down 300,000 toys" this season.
"We believe no kid should go without a Christmas," Keating said. "This would be a good way to help kids have a Christmas."
"I think it's all very heart warming," she added.
Another toy drive event took place in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood earlier this month. The North Dearborn Association (NDA), an organization involved in community and preservation work, held its Joy for Toys holiday party in an effort to collect gifts for students at George Manierre Elementary School.
"It's part of our mission," said Carol Truesdell, a member of the NDA. "We've done various things over the years…food collections and that sort of thing. They wanted to do something that was more hands on."
This year was the event's 19th year and has become extremely important to the community, according to Truesdell. This year, they provided 300 gifts for the children.
"There are families struggling, and toys are a luxury," she said. "You just feel that you want to help someone in need, and they're really our close neighbors."
"It's a really warm fuzzy feeling," she said.
Outside of charity events, various food pantries and charities collected items for families in need.
The Cathedral Shelter of Chicago (CSC), for example, has a Christmas Basket program, which provides gifts for low-income people and families through community sponsorship.
According to Development Manager of CSC Dawn Zayas, the shelter has a history of helping the poor and homeless in a variety of ways.
The Christmas Baskets program gives them the opportunity to help people celebrate the holidays, even in the wake of financial troubles. Zayas said this season has been extremely successful.
"This year, we served a record-breaking 1,800 Chicago-area families," Zayas said.
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