After a roof leak damages donations, annual Hill District toy drive emerges bigger and better

Hanna Webster / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

After water damage from a leaking roof ruined about 30 kids’ toy donations at a Hill District health center, the Matilda H. Theiss toy drive came back Wednesday bigger and better.

By 1 p.m., parents with kids on their hips and hands spilled in from the rear entrance of the Thelma Lovette YMCA in the Hill District, where volunteers checked them in and led them through a room overflowing with toys.

There were puzzles, LEGO sets, dolls, stuffed animals, toy cars, children’s books — like the toy aisle of Target, but bigger. Some gifts were wrapped so children could remain surprised. One girl beamed, clutching a new Barbie doll to her chest.

The drive, in its ninth year, also included diapers, formula and warm clothes free of charge to families. Volunteers and UPMC staff at the event said media coverage of the roof leak, which happened at the UPMC Matilda H. Theiss Health Center around Thanksgiving, brought in an influx of donations in a matter of weeks, allowing them to scale up the event, with the Thelma Lovette YMCA offering to host on its third floor.

“It was really touching to see all the donations come in,” said Jonathan Yadlosky, a primary care physician at the Matilda H. Theiss Health Center and one of the event coordinators. “This is something that reaffirms for all of us why we get into health care in the first place.”

After the original donations were destroyed, Yadlosky reached out to the Hill District-based nonprofit Macedonia Family and Community Enrichment (FACE) Center for help. “They were super gracious and wanted to help,” he said.

Tinisha Hunt, the CEO of Macedonia FACE, discussed the importance of collaboration with organizations like the Theiss Health Center, with its direct relationship with Hill District residents.

“When you have partners who work together to know the people in a community to meet their needs, it makes a huge difference,” she said. “That’s been the joy of our relationship with Matilda Theiss. We have a mutual investment in supporting these people.”

Dr. Yadlosky was able to greet a few of his patients at Wednesday’s toy distribution, which went for four hours. He recognized one woman who had recently received a hip replacement. “She was up, moving and smiling,” he said. “It was really special.”

While 300 additional children, all patients of the Theiss Health Center, received invitations for the event, anyone from the community could sign up.

For some, this was their first time participating in the toy drive.

Darius Lightly, 31 and a resident of the Hill, heard about the toy drive through Facebook and came down with his 1-year-old son, Darius Jr., or “Mitters.” Mr. Lightly, who also has a 4-year-old, was looking forward to finding warm clothes for his family — and thought Mitters might want a toy car.

With multiple family birthdays in late December, it was also an opportunity for Mr. Lightly to grab some birthday gifts.

“It feels good because it’s the holidays,” he said. “I just want to celebrate my 1-year-old son.”

Jasmine Weaver, 30 and a South Side resident, also came with 1- and 4-year olds: her nephews, Regent and Royal. A Homestead native who recently moved back to Pittsburgh from Florida, Ms. Weaver’s two young girls have been seen by UPMC doctors since they were babies. Her first toy drive, she hugged multiple UPMC staffers who were volunteering at the event.

“We’re grateful for whatever we can get,” she said.

A volunteer helped her place books in a bag for her daughters, who were in school that day.

Families were allotted one toy per child, and staff expected they would run out of all their stock by the end of the event. Any leftover toys would be donated to local nonprofits, such as Macedonia FACE. Ms. Hunt said her team could distribute extra toys to families who couldn’t attend the distribution event. And Theiss Health Center physicians plan to hand out any remainders at doctor appointments.

“The community support has been wonderful, but so many families need more help,” said Jessica Magnu, a family medicine dietician at the health center and an organizer for the toy drive since its inception. “Our goal is to make sure every child has a toy at Christmas this year, and to alleviate parents’ worries.”