New Times collage. Source images: E11even photo by Laurie Charles, photo of teddy bear by Susanne Jutzeler, suju-foto from Pexels
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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Wreaths are popping up on front doors, colored lights are illuminating neighborhood homes, and tents selling Christmas trees are showing up on vacant lots. Which means it’s time to start shopping for gifts for your loved ones. Unfortunately, there are too many children in the world who don’t have a Santa Claus to pop into their lives and shower them with gifts. The folks at E11EVEN are trying to do something about that with their 12th annual toy drive.
The 24-hour Downtown nightclub might be famed for loud music, scantily clad women, and wild hedonism, but with this seasonal charity drive, it shows that having a good time and being generous towards others who don’t have it as well can be mutually exclusive. From now until Monday, December 15, secret Santas can drop off unwrapped toys at E11EVEN Miami at 29 NE 11th Street, Miami. For those who don’t have an unwrapped toy or don’t have the time to shop or deliver a toy, you can still give to their GoFundMe page, which has already raised over $20,000 from 73 generous donors, and with that money, they will do the toy shopping for you. The GoFundMe page is organized by Frances Martin who, according to the E11EVEN website, is the Chief Financial Officer and Operating Partner for the 11USA GROUP.
The GoFundMe page gives more insight on the background of the initiative: “The E11EVEN family has provided thousands of gifts over the years to organizations including The Chapman Partnership, Downtown Miami Charter School, Jackson Children’s Hospital, and our first responders. Each year, the needs get bigger and we get requests to help other organizations.”
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As most people with bills can figure out the cost of living in Miami has soared. According to the recent ALICE report by the non-profit United Way, 54 % of Miami-Dade households can’t afford basic necessities. That means, sadly, too many kids this year will wake up Christmas morning without any presents. With your generosity, however, you can add so much joy to a child who otherwise might not be receiving anything in their stocking.
