Bushwick, Brooklyn – This Saturday, December 21st, the “To The Moon” Foundation will host its 3rd annual toy drive at Maria Hernandez Park, aiming to bring holiday cheer to the neighborhood’s families. Organized by local artist Gazoo and his partner Nick Reynolds, the event promises free food, toys, and gifts for all who attend. The event is a way for Gazoo, a long-time resident, to give back to the community that has supported him since his arrival.
Gazoo, known for his distinctive “To The Moon” graffiti tag and art installations, shared with Bushwick Daily that the toy drive was inspired by his desire to “give back to the community of Bushwick”. He explained that the neighborhood has been “so good to me over the years,” and that he feels “it was only right because the community gave to me so much”. Gazoo first came to Bushwick to work in construction in the early 2000s, building affordable housing. He noted that at the time “Bushwick was a crazy neighborhood”. He moved to the neighborhood in 2013, a year after starting the “To The Moon” tag. According to Gazoo, he was immediately embraced by the community. He said, “as soon as I got to Bushwick, Bushwick opened its arms to me…I was just getting a lot of love and support. The neighborhood had given me so much [..] through the years”.
This marks the third year that Gazoo and his partners have organized the toy drive in Bushwick. According to Nick Reynolds, his “deejay friend” Manny Mills of Hot 97, asked him to be a part of a toy drive five years ago, and Gazoo joined the effort to make sure toys would be given out. Reynolds said that the first year, in Ozone Park, it was “pouring rain the first day” but “a line down the block of kids standing in the rain for these toys” showed him “how much these kids need these toys”. The “To The Moon” foundation was formed as a nonprofit a couple of years ago to further the toy drive and other efforts.
This year, the toy drive is expecting to give out 1200 toys and gifts, purchased with $12,000 raised from a GoFundMe campaign. The event is supported by a number of local sponsors who have also contributed to the effort. Roberta’s Pizza will be donating pizzas throughout the day. Riseboro Community Partnership, a nonprofit with deep roots in Bushwick, helped to connect the organizers to families in the neighborhood. Other sponsors include Manny Mills, who will also be deejaying, The Heavy Hitters, 6IX Donuts, and Crossroads Cafe, who will be providing coffee and hot chocolate.
The event is open to all, with no pre-registration required. Families can simply show up at Maria Hernandez Park at 12 PM on Saturday to receive gifts. According to Gazoo, “Basically how this works is once they show up, they’ll be taken care of”. Volunteers are welcome and should arrive by 11 AM. To volunteer, reach out to the “UpToTheMoon” or Bushwick Daily Instagram page. Volunteers will receive free red and green beanies.
Both Gazoo and Reynolds emphasize the importance of community and giving back. Reynolds stated that he and Gazoo brought the giveaway to Bushwick three years ago to do things “bigger” and “in our backyard”. Gazoo described how the community has given him “much life support, love, support” since he moved there. He also noted how supportive the neighborhood has been to him as an artist. He said, “as soon as I got to Bushwick, Bushwick opened its arms to me…I was just getting a lot of love and support. So the neighborhood had given me so much love and support through the years”. He also mentioned that Bossanova was the first place that allowed him to do his art in the space.
The “To The Moon” Foundation is described as a nonprofit charity and is the organizer of the toy drive, while the “To The Moon” brand is described as a lifestyle brand encompassing art, clothing, and cannabis.
The toy drive promises to be a day of community celebration and holiday spirit. “It’s going to be very impactful for families in the neighborhood. Especially the kids,” Gazoo told Bushwick Daily. He also noted that kids will remember being able “to come and get some cool toys,” meet locals and enjoy free food. Nick Reynolds also noted that Roberta’s Pizza is donating “as many pies as they can make” every hour. He also said, “Jasmine from Riseboro has been a tremendous help”.
If you’d like to get involved, there are several ways you can help! The organizers are seeking volunteers to help at the event. Volunteers should arrive by 11 A.M. on Saturday, December 21st, and are asked to reach out through the ‘To The Moon’ IG page or through Bushwick Daily to coordinate. Volunteers will get free red and green beanies. Additionally, if you’d like to support the toy drive through financial donations, please visit the GoFundMe page and donate what you can to help them reach more families this year. Finally, spread the word! Share this article with your friends, neighbors, and social networks so that more people in the Bushwick community can attend and benefit from this amazing event. Together, we can make a difference this holiday season!”
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