Guadalupe Center has begun restocking its Holiday Gift Shop, a winter wonderland...
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NAPLES — Guadalupe Center has begun restocking its Holiday Gift Shop, a winter wonderland that provides a unique shopping experience for hundreds of Immokalee families.
Through Monday, Dec. 4, Guadalupe Center will accept new, unwrapped donations of age-appropriate toys, games and gifts for needy recipients ranging in age from infants through teenagers, as well as monetary donations.
The education-focused nonprofit’s annual Holiday Gift Shop provides gifts for more than 2,000 Guadalupe Center students and their siblings based on financial need. Eligible parents can hand-select gifts for their children in mid-December.
“So many families in Immokalee are struggling financially, and the Holiday Gift Shop ensures that every child has presents to unwrap as they celebrate the holiday season,” said Guadalupe Center President and CEO Dawn Montecalvo.
In addition to generous individual donors and couples, Guadalupe Center also partners with local businesses, residential communities and civic groups to make the Holiday Gift Shop a success.
Age-appropriate gift suggestions include:
Infants and toddlers (0-2 years)
• Popular: activity, light-up and musical toys
• Top brands: Step2, Baby Einstein and LeapFrog
• Also requested: infant gyms and bouncers, rattles, teething toys, baby dolls of various ethnicities, stacking rings, sit-to-stand push toys and bath toys
Preschool-age children (3-5 years)
• Popular: Play sets (toy kitchen, toolbox and doctor’s kit) and remote-controlled toys (cars, robots and dinosaurs)
• Top brands: LEGO, Hot Wheels, Disney, Sesame Street, Marvel, Shimmer & Shine, Paw Patrol and PJ Masks
• Also requested: building blocks, VTech and LeapFrog interactive learning toys, Play-Doh, dolls of various ethnicities, toy cars and trucks, and Fisher-Price Little People activity sets
School-age children (6-11 years)
• Popular: Arts and crafts sets
• Top brands: Shopkins, Hatchimals, Pokémon, Disney, Marvel and Minecraft
• Also requested: cars and trucks, LOL Surprise and Polly Pocket toys of various ethnicities, superhero action figures, magnetic construction sets, musical instruments, sports gear, science lab kits, riding toys and board games
Pre-teens and Teenagers (12-18 years)
• Popular: Gift cards ($25 denomination is most common)
Donations are accepted during normal business hours at three locations in Collier County: Guadalupe Resale Shop (12980 Tamiami Trail N., Unit 10, in Naples); Guadalupe Center’s Philanthropy Office (2640 Golden Gate Parkway, Suite 205, in Naples); and Guadalupe Center’s van Otterloo Family Campus for Learning (3655 Westclox St. in Immokalee). Additionally,
Guadalupe Center created an Amazon Wish List featuring hundreds of the most-requested items: 2023 Guadalupe Center Holiday Gift Shop.
For more information or to arrange a gift drop-off, please contact Elizabeth Cuevas at ECuevas@GuadalupeCenter.org or call 239-944-9988.
About Guadalupe Center
Established in 1984, Guadalupe Center provides high-quality, lifechanging educational programs to more than 1,900 students annually. Recognized nationally as a model for nonprofits serving students from low-income, rural communities, Guadalupe Center is creating a cycle of prosperity through education for students and families in Immokalee. The organization offers three highly successful programs – the nationally accredited Early Childhood Education Program, After-school Tutoring & Summer Enrichment Program and college-preparatory Tutor Corps Program – that foster personal and academic success leading to economic independence. Platinum-rated by GuideStar, Guadalupe Center is generously supported by private donors, philanthropic organizations and community partners. For more information, please visit GuadalupeCenter.org or call 239-657-7711.
