Unwrapped toys can dropped off at We Dat restaurants and NORD Recreation Centers

The New Orleans Recreation Development (NORD) Commission recently announced it will host its third annual Toy Drive and Giveaway for the 2023 holiday season. The toy drive began Monday, Nov. 13 and ends on Friday, Dec. 8. Residents are welcome to drop off new, unwrapped toys for youth ages 1-17 at any NORD facility and, for the first year, at any We Dat’s restaurant location. Participants can locate We Dat’s stores by visiting www.wedats.com.

All donations will be distributed during the NORD Annual Drive-Thru Holiday Toy Giveaway in partnership with iHeartMedia on Saturday, Dec. 16 near the Lemann Concession stand on the Lafitte Greenway from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. while supplies last. Each child will receive one gift and must be present in the vehicle.

 “We look forward to continue what has become an annual tradition of helping make the holiday season special for youth and families across the city,” said NORD CEO Larry Barabino, Jr. “Each year, the event gets larger and larger. I am grateful for the many generous community donations, partners and businesses who are committed to serving our city’s youth through the success of this event.”

“This annual event is so important to the City of New Orleans, and I am delighted to see a return of partners and businesses who show up and support NORD in making this event and others memorable for youth and families year-round, but especially during the holiday season,” said Chair of the NORD Commission Theo Sanders.

In 2020, NORD launched the event through partnerships with several community organizations and businesses that contributed over $6,000 to purchase more than 2,500 toys and supplies for the giveaway. During the program’s inaugural year, NORD was able to help more than 800 youth and families, as well as 30 families of justice-involved youth at the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center (JJIC). Each year, the event has grown in donations and residents served.

Residents interested in donating a new, unwrapped toy for the giveaway can drop off the donation at any of the recreation centers and aquatics facilities below beginning Nov. 13  until Dec. 8: 

Drop-off Locations Include:

  • Annunciation Recreation Ctr., 800 Race St.
  • Behrman Recreation Ctr., 2529 Gen. Meyer Ave.
  • Cut-Off Recreation Ctr., 6600 Belgrade St.
  • Desire Florida Multi-Service Ctr., 3250 Industry St.
  • Gernon Brown Recreation Ctr. 1001 Harrison Ave.
  • Gert Town Indoor Pool, 3411 Broadway St.
  • Joe W. Brown Recreation Ctr., 5601 Read Blvd.
  • Lyons Recreation Ctr., 624 Louisiana Ave.
  • Milne Recreation Ctr., 5420 Franklin Ave.
  • Rosenwald Recreation Ctr. 1120 S. Broad 
  • St.Bernard Recreation Ctr. 1500 Lafreniere St.
  • Sanchez Multi-Purpose Ctr, 1616 Fats Domino Ave.
  • Stallings–Claude Recreation Ctr., 4300 St. Claude Ave.
  • Treme Recreation Community Ctr. 900 N. Villere St.

For more information, visit www.nordc.org.