Waterside Shops, the Gulf Coast’s premier shopping and dining destination, will host its Annual Toy Drive on Saturday, Dec. 2, to benefit the children of the Guadalupe Center. Now through Friday, Dec. 1, guests can drop new, unwrapped toys at Waterside Shops’ Management Offices to ensure each child receiving life-transforming services at Guadalupe Center has a gift to open this holiday. Donations for the Annual Toy Drive will be accepted at the Management Offices Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Gifts are collected for children of all ages. In addition, Waterside Shops has declared Saturday, Dec. 2 as “Guadalupe Center Shop and Share Day,” and will donate 10 percent of sales up to $50,000 from purchases at St. Tropez Home, which recently opened at Waterside Shops.
“The generous support we receive each year from the retailers of the Waterside Shops is inspiring, and really helps the community to get into the holiday spirit,” says Guadalupe Center President Dawn Montecalvo. “The children are so excited to visit the Waterside Shops, see Santa, enjoy the activities. Given that so many families from Immokalee were negatively impacted by Hurricane Irma, this year’s toy drive is especially meaningful and will really help to brighten their holidays.”
The toys will be distributed at a private reception at Waterside Shops on Saturday, Dec. 2 for students enrolled in Guadalupe Center’s After-school Program. They will be treated to a day filled with Christmas spirit, including a welcome from Santa, a balloon artist, face painting and lunch. Gifts are also brought back to the Guadalupe Center in Immokalee for distribution at their annual Holiday Gift Shop which runs Dec. 8-9.
Waterside Shops is located at 5415 N. Tamiami Trail in Naples. For more information on the toy collection, please contact Waterside Shops management office at 239-598-1605 or visit www.watersideshops.com
About Guadalupe Center
Guadalupe Center is a purpose-driven, nonprofit organization with proven results in creating endless possibilities for the students of Immokalee through education and fostering personal and academic success that leads to economic independence. With a focus on breaking the cycle of poverty through education, Guadalupe Center is proud of the children’s accomplishments: 94% exceed kindergarten readiness measures, 100% of Tutor Corps high school seniors graduate high school and are accepted into college, and more than 90% graduated with a post-secondary degree.
