Our Residents
Stocking stuffers brighten the giving holiday at Robinson Gardens
Parents paid quiet visits on Christmas Eve to the community room at Springfield Housing Authority’s Robinson Gardens Apartments, where games, puzzles, clothing and toys were available to make the holiday bright for youngsters.
Gifts lined tables in the small room, and parents quietly chose two for each of their children on the morning before the giving holiday.
For parents like Melissa Seery and Yvette Pedraza, the small gifts will make all the difference.
“I really appreciate this,” said Pedraza, whose two children are ages 5 and 3.
“It’s coming in handy at the last minute. My kids will be very happy,” she said.
Seery agreed.
“This is wonderful,” said the mother of two. “I love this. It makes things a bit nicer on Christmas for the children. Anything helps.”
SHA Outreach Coordinator Zenaida Burgos said many of the toys and clothing items came from Toys for Tots, the Western Massachusetts program sponsored by the United States Marine Corps. Another donor from Wilbraham made anonymous gifts to help out families in need.
Burgos said that even with the limit of two gifts per child, the giveaway is a big help to families at Robinson Gardens.
“We do this to support the families during the holiday season,” Burgos explained.
“These are tough times for a lot of our families right now. And everyone wants to be able to put something under their tree for their children. There’s nothing like a child’s smile on Christmas morning,” she said.