Atlantic Cape event provides Hope for the Holidays
12/22/2021
| Media Contact: Claire Sylvester | (609) 343-4933
More than 350 wrapped gifts were distributed to children and teens in Atlantic City on Saturday, Dec. 18 at Atlantic Cape Community College’s Hope for the Holidays event.
“We are so thankful to everyone who donated their time, donated toys, collected items at their businesses, and to the organizations that came out to support our event, which provided crucial resources to families,” said Victor Moreno, senior manager of campus operations and community outreach at Atlantic Cape’s Worthington Atlantic City campus.
The event, held in Brown’s Park, was organized in partnership with Angels in Motion, the Matthew Bee Memorial Fund, and Atlantic County Hope One. Gifts were collected over the last several weeks at various locations in Atlantic County.
Moreno said that the community had been especially generous this holiday season. One young boy from Egg Harbor Township, Owen Webster, used his 10th birthday as a donation drive and in lieu of birthday presents asked for hats and gloves for this event.
Toy donations were also provided by the Atlantic County Toy for Kids Program, PetSmart, and many other donors.
Cold, crisp weather greeted the city residents who came out on Saturday for the holiday festivities.
Attendees were able to take photos with Santa, get their face painted, and were treated to hot chocolate, holiday treats and a hot meal. Free hats and gloves were available for teens and adults and DJ Jack Fahey provided a holiday soundtrack for the event.
All around the park, booths were set up distributing giveaways and resources including the Atlantic Cape Student Government Association, which handed out decorate-your-own Christmas stocking kits, and the Atlantic City Free Public Library, which distributed books, among the many other organizations in attendance.
A pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic was provided by Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers.
Partial funding for this event is provided by the Federal Government’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).
For more information on Atlantic Cape’s community outreach initiatives, contact Victor Moreno at vmoreno@atlanticcape.edu or visit atlanticcape.edu.