There’s no shortage of presents for Joyce Briscoe’s grandson. It’s his first Christmas and there are plenty of gifts to go around in downtown Schenectady with just two days until the big holiday.
“He has stuffed animals, Paw Patrol. He’s all set,” said Briscoe, who lives in the Electric City.
Her granddaughters also walked away with handful of toys as well. Briscoe is extremely grateful for this random Santa drop-offs event, and says it helps make their Christmas a lot more special after another challenging year.
“I’m on a fixed income, so I have to get things here and there and little things,” Briscoe said. “I just wanted to make sure they have stuff under the tree.”
She is one of many enjoying the generosity of Union College hockey player Josh Kosack, Save Our Streets and COCOA House. Founded by Will Rivas, the annual giveaway has continued to grow across Schenectady over the years.
“When we started seven years ago, we started with two garbage bags of toys and just walking around,” Rivas said.
It has since evolved into an army of volunteers, including the Schenectady Police Department, traversing the city in a school bus full of gifts. This year, it’s making seven stops in Schenectady, including Yates Village.
“People are in need more than ever, so the thing we always try to do is we try to do our best, regardless of our own situations,” Rivas said.
More than $10,000 was raised this year to purchase all the gifts to be delivered in not only Schenectady, but also in Albany.
Shkilia Gilmore came to the Arbor Hill Sports Complex on Christmas Eve with her granddaughter to get toys for her family. She arrived just before noon, and left with a lot of gratitude.
“It’s beautiful. It’s a lovely thing,” Gilmore said. “I’m very blessed and happy.”
Paul Collins-Hackett teamed up with Rivas four years ago to bring this event to the Capital City. With just one day to go until Christmas, volunteers delivered hundreds of presents at three locations across Albany.
“We love it. It’s exactly what we want to see,” Collins-Hackett said. “We believe in our kids, and we’d like to see they like to learn while they’re having fun so it’s great.”
