HOBOKEN – When Michael Novak, the new president of the Hoboken Chamber of Commerce, received a $5,000 donation before their annual toy drive, he wanted to keep the money in the mile-square city. So the Chamber of Commerce decided to spend the $5,000 at Big Fun Toys, a local toy store on Washington Street, and then donate the toys to the children of Hoboken.
On Monday, toys collected at the annual Chamber toy drive event, as well as the ones from Big Fun Toys, were donated to children at the Jubilee Center, the Hoboken Boys and Girls Club, and the Hoboken Housing Authority.
Chamber Vice President Greg Dell’Aquila said the Chamber was “prompted to go to the big chain stores” but they decided to keep the money inside Hoboken, and they chose to go to a fellow Chamber member to spend the money on Washington Street. Dell’Aquila said the Chamber was able to donate around two toys per child this holiday season.
“We are humbled and thankful for this generous gift,” Novak said, speaking about the $5,000 donation which ultimately went toward providing toys to Hoboken youth.
Novak said that near Thanksgiving, he sent a note to the approximately 1,100 people on the Chamber e-mail list reminding them of the annual Chamber toy drive. After the e-mail was sent out, he received the anonymous donation. The leadership of the Chamber gathered to celebrate the announcement at Big Fun Toys on Tuesday afternoon.
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