34th Annual Hope for the Holidays Toy Drive to Benefit Brightside for Families and Children

Springfield, MA. (October 20, 2020) – Out of an abundance of caution regarding COVID-19, the 34^th annual "Hope for the Holidays" Toy Drive to benefit the children served by Brightside for Families and Children will be pared down to a single-day event. On Sunday, November 8, representatives of Brightside will be on hand in the parking lot of Providence Behavioral Health Hospital to accept gift cards and monetary donations from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Providence Behavioral Health Hospital is located at 1233 Main Street in Holyoke. Although toys will be accepted, please note that gift cards and monetary donations are preferred because of the need to sterilize toys prior to distribution because of COVID-19. Additionally, the gift cards and monetary donations will be used to purchase items specified on gift "wish lists" created by the children served by Brightside and their siblings.

Event organizer Bruce Rivest has worked tirelessly to make the "Hope for the Holidays" Toy Drive a successful annual event. Rivest originally contacted the Philanthropy Department at Mercy Medical Center about coordinating a toy drive for Brightside. Adopted as a child himself from Brightside in 1970, Rivest knows firsthand the importance Brightside plays in the local community.

"Although COVID-19 has had a significant impact on so many aspects of daily life, we are grateful to be able to continue this annual tradition, albeit on a smaller scale," said Rivest. "It's so important to ensure that every child and family supported by Brightside has hope and joy this holiday season."

In addition to the toy drive on November 8, a GoFundMe page has also been set up for donations for the children and families served by Brightside. Here is the link: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/brightside-toy-run-hosted-by-hope-for-the-holidays

Major sponsors of the "Hope for the Holidays" Toy Drive are Indian Motorcycle of Springfield; Reds Towing and Recovery; Patriot Riders Chapter6 WMass; American Legion Riders chapter 58 Oxford, MA; Sons of Mothers, MC; Renegade Souls, MC; Longriders, MC; and Camouflage Run in memory of Patrick Rud.

For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/events/526235608247431/ or call (413) 748-9935.

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About Mercy Medical Center

Mercy Medical Center has established itself as one of the leading providers of health care services in Western Massachusetts. In 2015, Mercy Medical Center became part of Trinity Health Of New England, an integrated health care delivery system that is a member of Trinity Health, Livonia, Michigan, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation serving communities in 22 states. Mercy Medical Center is a 182-bed acute care hospital in Springfield. Other facilities include Providence Behavioral Health Hospital in Holyoke; Mercy's Rehabilitation Hospital, a comprehensive hospital-based rehabilitation center on the campus of Mercy Medical Center; Brightside for Families and Children, an outpatient service offering counseling and family support programs; and an outpatient opioid treatment program. Visit us at TrinityHealthOfNE.org for more information and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MercyMedicalMA and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/mercymedicalma.