Newest Yankee helps give out toys at P.S. 7

Most people have never heard of Matt Duran, and certainly none of the students at P.S. 7 today have, but that didn't stop the hundreds of kids from exploding in cheers when they realized a New York Yankee was in the building.

Matt Duran and Ray Negron of the NY Yankees, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, PS 7 Principal Frank Patterson, Bronx Chamber of Commerce President Lenny Caro, NY Yankees mascot Sultan and puppet Lucky pose with students from PS 7.

Duran joined Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and Bronx Chamber of Commerce President Lenny Caro in giving away toys to the students, part of the annual toy drives that the Yankees, the Chamber and Dinowitz each do (separately).

Also helping out was an adviser to the Yankees, Ray Negron, who told the students they need to show their teachers "that [you] are going to grow up and become really good people."

Duran, 18 years old future 3rd baseman for the Bronx Bombers, added that they need to follow their dreams and work hard at school.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz hands out soccer balls to PS 7 students.

Koppell launches toy drive for children in need

Koppell with students of PS 8.

City Councilman G. Oliver Koppell launched his toy drive this holiday season by distributing over 100 toys on Dec. 8, 2011 to children at the Little Angels Head Start Program on Hull Avenue in the Bedford Park/Norwood section of his district. These toys were among the 300 donated to Koppell by the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and Bronx Toys, a toy manufacturer, to give to children in need in his district.

Koppell also selected Mosholu-Montefiore, Marble Hill and Kingsbridge Heights Community Centers to be the recipient of toys because many of the families the centers serve are suffering during these harsh economic times and cannot afford to give their children a holiday present.

A number of children who attend PS 8 live in the nearby homeless shelter and Koppell provided the school with toys to give to these children, who are among the neediest in his district.

 

“I am grateful to the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and Bronx Toys for their generous donation of toys to brighten the holiday season for children in my district, many of whom would go without gifts because of the economic hardship their families are experiencing," Koppell said.

 

You can contribute to Koppell’s toy drive by dropping off a new, unwrapped toy at his Riverdale district office, 3636 Waldo Avenue.