Posted on January 9, 2026 by Gresham Worth The holiday season has once again reminded us of the extraordinary power of community, as New Yorkers from all walks of life came together to support the Coalition’s 2025 Holiday Toy Drive. Thanks to an incredible network of supporters, media champions, and corporate partners, we successfully collected over 11,000 toys that brought smiles to children across 71 shelters throughout New York City. This year’s drive gained remarkable momentum thanks to welcome coverage by several media outlets and personalities who helped amplify our message. Julie Millet from PIX11 News shed light on how economic challenges have affected holiday giving, while Roger Clarke from Spectrum NY1 News joined us once again to highlight the importance of our mission to serve kids in shelters. ABC7NY‘s morning news featured the Coalition’s ambassador Taryn Delanie Smith, who spoke passionately about the power of giving during the holidays. Both Taryn and YouTube phenom and children’s educator Ms. Rachel shared information about the drive to their massive followings across social media, reaching well over a million people. Their endorsement of the Coalition’s work resonated deeply with their followers, creating a surge in donations to the toy drive that got us over the finish line. The magic of the season truly came alive at our annual Kids Holiday Carnival, hosted by our partners at United Federation of Teachers (UFT) in Lower Manhattan. Nearly 100 children from shelters throughout the city gathered for an unforgettable day of celebration as the UFT building was transformed into a winter wonderland where laughter echoed through the halls, beloved characters greeted each guest warmly, children danced to energetic music, and squeals of delight were heard at Santa’s grand arrival. New York City’s corporate community stepped up in remarkable ways this year as well. Financial services giants like Blackstone and Barclays, creative spaces like Hashimoto Contemporary, luxury brands like Tiffany & Co., as well as educational institutions including the Browning School encouraged employee participation. The diversity of our supporters reflects the broad spectrum of New Yorkers who understand that no child should go without a toy during the holidays. Each toy collected represents more than just a gift; it’s a message to children experiencing homelessness that their community sees them, values them, and wants them to experience the joy that every child deserves during the holidays. More than 32,000 NYC children spent this holiday season in homeless shelters, so these toys provide moments of pure happiness and hope for those who need it most. As we move into 2026, we’re deeply grateful for every individual, organization, and media partner who helped make this year’s toy drive such a resounding success. Your generosity has created countless magical moments for children across New York City, proving once again that when we come together as a community, we can spread joy far beyond what any of us could accomplish alone.
