Boys and Girls Club of Rochester Toy Drive: ‘Sometimes this is the only gift they get’

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — There are all kinds of opportunities to help children get presents this Christmas.

For the first time since COVID, the toy drive at the Boys and Girls Club of Rochester is back in person. After years of drive-thru giveaways, the club is collecting toys and then Santa will hand them out to children Dec. 17.

“It will have a big impact. Sometimes this is the only gift they get,” said Koralee Bernardo, coordinator of Boys and Girls Club special events. “So that gives you an idea how important it is for us to continue the tradition. This is our 23rd year.”

This year, the oldest law firm in Rochester, Woods Oviatt Gillman, sponsored the Boys and Girls Club’s toy drive and donated $2,500.

“Oh my gosh, a lot of kids aren’t going to get toys other than through programs like this,” said Steve Tierney, partner at Wood, Oviatt, Gillman. “And this is kind of cliché but being able to provide toys for Christmas for kids. You get more of a reward out of that than the kids do themselves.”

Here are the locations where you can drop off a toy:

• Boys and Girls Club on Genesee Street
• Dick’s Sporting Good Store Marketplace
• RDG+ Partners
• Buffalo Wild Wings in Greece
• Insero & Co.
• Lewis Tree Service
• Monroe County District Attorney’s Office
• Power Management
• Locust Hill Women’s Association
• Team Hired
• AT&T Stores
• Wells Fargo
• Corning Optics
• Dr. Steven Damelio Dentistry
• Monroe Community College Student Nurses Association