By Eliena Mahgerefteh
Earlier this quarter Chabad at UC Irvine put on a toy drive where students had the chance to sponsor a toy for a child. In the two days we set up booth on campus over $250 worth of toys were purchased and arrangements were made to distribute these toys to underprivileged kids and victims of Hurricane Sandy. Sunday December 9th I along with other regulars from Chabad at UC Irvine decided to spend a few hours of our day with young kids deserving of some toys and much needed smiles on their faces. Pulling up to the Motel I did not know what to expect, but after we set up camp in the community room and put out cups of juice and snacks for the kids, we began to feel a connection with the families and their rough situations. A few of us students went in search of more children living in the rooms and we saw the way they had to endure. Families of up to five living in a small room with a kitchen, single moms with no income, young teen moms whom had recently given birth, what seemed like gang members, and even a few weed smokers. It made me so sad that children had to live with 'high' parents 24/7. As we anticipated a "leave us alone" instead we were welcomed with smiles from the parents and screams of "Yes!!!" from the kids, urgently putting a sweater on as they ran to the room where they would pick out a toy and spend some time doing arts and crafts. Watching the kids faces became the best part of the trip. Some were bouncing on whoopee cushions, others were playing with water guns, and meanwhile they all made take-home bracelets. This gave the moms something to do too, and many of the mothers asked us to come back again. I would like to say that I would be more than thrilled to go back and spend some time with these kids, and anyone else that would like to join us is more than welcome too.
