The holidays were a little brighter across Long Island, thanks to the generosity and thoughtfulness of PSEG Long Island employees. By participating in the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program, an employee-led toy drive and a holiday greeting card campaign, dozens of co-workers helped spread cheer and hope this holiday season for neighbors in need.
Krysten Acevedo of Center Moriches said that she has been supporting the Angel Tree program since she started with PSEG Long Island.
“I do it because I hate the idea of a child waking up on Christmas morning to nothing under their tree and wondering what it was they did to get on Santa’s naughty list," she said.
Photo: PSEG Long Island.
More than 120 co-workers fulfilled holiday wishes for 105 Suffolk County children enrolled in the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program. From bikes, tablets and video games, to toys, dolls and action figures, several hundred gifts were donated in all. A handful of PSEG Long Island employees also helped distribute the goodies and load clients’ vehicles the week before Christmas at the Salvation Army’s Riverhead headquarters.
“Giving to our community is extremely important to me, and even more so during the holiday season,” said Susan Suridis of Seaford. “The Salvation Army Angel Tree program gives me a heartwarming opportunity to share with families in need. I look forward to this wonderful and worthy giving opportunity every year.”
An employee-led toy collection drive was also hosted. More than $1,600 in dolls, board games, electronic toys, trucks, gift cards and more were given to the following organizations to distribute to local children and their families:
- Bellport Hagerman East Patchogue Alliance in Bellport
- Family Service League in Mastic
- First Presbyterian Church of Northport
- Gerald Ryan Outreach Center in Wyandanch
- Lighthouse Mission in Bellport
- Sunshine Alternative Education & Prevention Center in Port Jefferson Station
- Five Towns Community Center in Lawrence
- Hempstead Hispanic Civic Association
- Long Island Council of Churches in Freeport
- Mary Brennan INN Soup Kitchen and Center for Transformative Change Resource Center in Hempstead
- NAACP Hempstead Branch
- Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church in Roosevelt
- The United Methodist Church of Hempstead
Photo: PSEG Long Island.
These agencies, along with several senior centers, assisted living homes and hospitals were also sent holiday cheer in the form of greeting cards. Nearly 1,000 PSEG Long Island employees participated, offering their own personal holiday messages in the cards that featured the image of a snowy PSEG Long Island bucket truck. The cards were delivered along with candy canes, LED night lights or large print puzzle books to the organizations above, as well as the following:
- The Bristal Assisted Living communities across the area
- EAC Network Senior Community Service Center in North Merrick and distributed through the agency’s Meals on Wheels program
- Glen Cove Senior Center
- Glen Cove YMCA
- Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center
- The Northwell Health Orzac Center for Rehabilitation in Valley Stream
- The Northwell Health Stern Family Center for Rehabilitation in Manhasset
- The United Methodist Church of Hempstead
- Huntington YMCA
Brittney Schmidt of Smithtown said that these programs were vital to her growing up.
“Being raised by a single mom of three children, I remember how important it was for my mom to have access to a program like this that would allow for a few more gifts to be put under the tree on Christmas morning," she said.
