EAST FLATBUSH — Personal shoppers are usually a luxury service found only in high-end stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, but on Dec. 12, they were found in a church basement of all places.
They were there to help people pick out the perfect Christmas gifts for children.
Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens (CCBQ), which organizes its annual Christmas Toy Shop, came to St. Vincent Ferrer Church in East Flatbush to help financially challenged families have a happy holiday and employed a personal shopper model to do so.
Each person who entered the toy-filled wonderland was assigned a personal “shopper elf” to assist them as they looked for toys for the children in their lives. And everything was free thanks to donations made to CCBQ.
Shopper elf Christina Palermo helped Yvonne Peters, who was looking to find presents for three grandchildren. The first thing Peters opted for was a baby doll.
“I’m so grateful to have these toys to pick out with the number of grandchildren I have,” Peters said. “I’m so thankful for this chance.”
Debbie Hampson, senior director for community outreach services at CCBQ, said the process is “empowering” for parents. She also noted the initiative keeps with the organization’s philosophy of treating everyone with respect.
People lined up outside the building long before the doors opened at 10 a.m. When they entered the basement, they found tables filled with Barbie dolls, action hero figures, board games, stuffed animals, crayons and drawing paper, and puzzles, among other items.
“The need is tremendous. What we found over the years is that for many children, this is the only gift that would be under their tree,” Hampson said. “This year, we’ve had parents cry at the fact that they’re able to provide at least a gift to their child.”
CCBQ distributed toys to 3,800 children last year, and Hampton said she expected the organization to match that total this year.
According to the Poverty Tracker Annual Report released this year by Columbia University and the Robin Hood Foundation, an estimated 23% of New York City residents — approximately 2 million people — live below the poverty line.
CCBQ holds the event in both Brooklyn and Queens, with the Queens events scheduled to take place at St. Gabriel Church in Flushing on Thursday, Dec. 19 and Friday, Dec. 20.
Shopper Elf Susie Galligan, who has volunteered at CCBQ toy drives for 10 years, said she loves helping out.
“For me, it means Christmas,” she said. “To be able to see people get gifts for their children that they might not otherwise be able to get is what Christmas is all about.”
