The Mexican American Students' Alliance says it is focused on bringing joy to migrant children who may be spending their first Christmas in New York City. 

 

MASA, located at 2770 Third Ave., is halfway to their goal of collecting 300 toys for young migrants and children in their programs. The group’s toy drive is a decade-old, but it has been servicing the Bronx and the rest of the city for more than 20 years. MASA asks those who want to donate to bring new unwrapped toys and clothing to its Mott Haven location. 

 

The organization's focus has always been on immigrants and new arrivals. However, MASA wants to pay special attention this year to the children who have been moving from shelter to shelter and from school to school in the Bronx and East Harlem. They want their first holiday experience in New York to be a positive memory.

 

"It's really, really important to support recently arrived children who are being moved from shelter to shelter," said Aracelis Lucero, executive director at MASA. "Really try to normalize some of their day-to-day in the middle of the chaos they are undergoing right now." 

 

MASA is accepting donations until Dec. 21. You can drop it off at their Mott Haven location. 

Then on Three Kings' Day, the kids will be invited to MASA's Bronx location to get presents and have a warm meal.