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Date: 12/21/2022
ENFIELD, CT – This season marked Jiggy’s Cafe’s 13th year donating to Toys for Joy, a program that provides toys to families in need during the holidays through the Enfield Police Department and the Salvation Army in Springfield, MA. On the morning of Dec. 16, they came to the cafe to collect their share of toys bought and donated.
For the first 12 years, Jiggy’s has donated over 1,000 bikes and countless presents. Event coordinator Kelly Baker has expanded the donation drive to other charities such as the Connecticut Children’s Hospital’s “Closet,” the ReRead book program, St. Jude’s Hospital, Shriners Hospital and the Dakin Humane Society. Baker stated, “This year, we raised $3,132 for toys which went to the Springfield Salvation Army and Enfield Police Toys for Joy program and the Connecticut Children’s Hospital. Then we gave $500 to St. Jude’s Hospital, $500 for Shriners, $300 to the Dakin Humane Society and $1,000 to the Enfield Special Olympics. Overall, we raised $5,432.”
This annual initiative started in 2009 with the late Sandra Kamm, a beloved Jiggy’s patron and Enfield resident. During that time community relations coordinator Jeffrey Belkin used to work at Hasbro Toy Company in East Longmeadow, and would stop by the café after his second shift. One night Belkin had a conversation with Kamm, who was going to donate the proceeds from a bake sale she was planning at the cafe to the Toys for Joy program. Belkin offered to use his discount at Hasbro to buy toys to donate. That first year they made a Christmas tree stacked with toys. In August of 2010, Kamm died and since then the cafe has kept the fundraiser going in her memory.
“It’s important to help our community, and children, especially,” Baker said. “I think that’s what it’s all about and having wonderful people that help us. Without the patrons we wouldn’t be able to do this. It’s a great cause to keep in our community.”