Group gives away toys to children in need
By Joey Pitchford
Published in News on December 23, 2016 10:05 AM
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News-Argus/JOEY PITCHFORD
Amiyah Hobbs, 5, holds a board game she received from the Bridging the Gap Youth Foundation Thursday afternoon at H.V. Brown Park. Dozens of local children received toys, shoes and clothes.
For children growing up in tough situations, something as simple as getting a gift for Christmas can make a world of difference.
That was the idea behind the Bridging the Gap Youth Foundation's toy drive at H.V. Brown Park Thursday afternoon, where four Goldsboro natives handed out toys, clothes and shoes to dozens of area children. The four men at the park, Tago Edwards, Michael Valentine Williams, Anthony Young and Darian Harris, came together to provide local youth with gifts to show them that people care about their futures.
Edwards said that the group had been talking about doing something for the community for a while, but hadn't gotten around to it until they realized Christmas was right around the corner. Given that, and with many in the Goldsboro community still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Matthew, they decided now was as good a time as ever to give back.
All four men grew up in the streets of Goldsboro. Edwards said that their experiences growing up gave them the perspective to be able to help kids coming up through the same struggles today.
"We walked these streets, we grew up here," he said. "So this is all about the youth. We're trying to show them a better way, trying to give them some purpose in their life."
As the group talked, 5-year-old Amiyah Hobbs walked up to get a toy. She walked away with a Disney princess-themed board game. Edwards said that most of the gifts had been purchased using the group's own money. Some had been donated.
Valentine Williams, an active-duty Marine who returned to Goldsboro to help with the toy drive, said that Bridging the Gap is in its early stages. He wants to see the foundation grow in both its notoriety and its ability to help the community.
"We're trying to invest in our future, because without that investment we won't have a future," he said. "A year from now, we want to be able to do so much more."
Among those goals for the future are academic scholarships, trips to theme parks for deserving kids and other things designed to give kids in poorer areas an incentive to work hard. Knowing that a college scholarship could await after years of hard work in school could make the effort seem more worthwhile for kids who may not have the chance to go to college otherwise, Edwards said.
"When we were growing up, the goal was 16. Just make it to 16," he said. "Then it was to make it 18, then make it 21. We lost a lot of people back then who never made it that far, they were just babies."
As a group of kids came up to the table, covered in wrapped presents and clothes, Edwards said that he wants to inspire others in the Goldsboro community to help keep kids on the right path. Whether that is through donation, being a mentor or just showing that you care, any positive impact on the community is a step in the right direction.
"If people want to donate to us, that's great," he said. "But you just need to help somebody. You don't even have to help us, just help someone, because we can't help everybody."
The foundation is hoping to kick their operations into high gear come 2017. To donate or for more information, call Edwards at 919-394-6718.