east washington life
Officers Bring Joy Through 7D Toy Drive
More than 500 Gifts Distributed to Ward 8 Kids
S
tuart Anderson, the Anacostia Coordinating Council (ACC) Communications Director, witnessed a lot of joy as he helped Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) personnel deliver hundreds of gifts through the 7D Toy Drive. Anderson remembers one visit to a Woodland family in particular. “In the home, they had a tree,” he said, “but there were no toys under the tree.” One little boy was handed a present, and immediately started unwrapping it, Anderson recalled, laugh-
by Elizabeth O’Gorek
ing. The child was so excited he just ripped it open, unable to hear Anderson’s message from Santa that he should wait until Christmas. Discovering it was a Hot Wheels car set, he began dancing around the room. Anderson left elated, wishing that he had captured the child’s pure joy on video. The gift delivery was part of the 51st Annual 7D Toy Drive, organized by the DC Police Foundation, Starbucks and the ACC. Over the eight years it has been involved, ACC has invit-
A little boy rushes to show his present to his sister before he places it under the family’s tree.
A little girl proudly displays her new doll as she poses with 7D officers, the elves who distributed gifts from the 51st Annual 7D Toy Drive. Photos: Courtesy Stuart Anderson/ACC
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E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m
ed guests to a Multicultural Holiday Celebration at the Anacostia Playhouse, asking for donations of unwrapped toys as part of admission. Then, gifts were distributed to children at a holiday party hosted by the DC Police Foundation at the Panorama Room. This year, there were no parties, but organizers were determined that there would be a toy drive. ACC organized a virtual “paint and sip” Multicultural Holiday Celebration, offering free kits to the first 40 people to donate an unwrapped toy. ACC members and 7D officers worked to gather donations, which were dropped off at the 7D Station
