SAIDE spreads holiday cheer with toy drive for young Tulane patients

The holiday season is approaching, and Staff Advocacy Inclusion Diversity Equity (SAIDE) is organizing its 3rd annual Holiday Toy Drive in partnership with the New Orleans Children's Health Project, a collaboration between the Children's Health Fund and the Section of Community Pediatrics and Immigrant Health in the Department of Tulane Pediatrics. From now until December 1, you can donate an unwrapped toy to any drop-off location. All donations will go to the patients and their families and will be distributed with the New Orleans Children's Health Project at their December 3rd event. 

There are donation boxes on the 8th floor of Hutchinson and in the Murphy Building in the lobby, 6th floor, and 15th floor. There will be boxes placed in the Hutchinson Lobby soon. Please let us know if you would like to house a donation box in a location not already listed. 

Additionally, all Tulane University School of Medicine staff are invited to the SAIDE "Donation Station Social" on December 1 from noon to 2 p.m. in the Hutchinson Lobby. 

We will collect the toys and have some light refreshments to spread holiday cheer. 

If you would like to volunteer with the New Orleans Children's Health Project and help distribute toys to the 75 families from their clinic, there are opportunities to do so. The dates they are seeking volunteers are:

Friday, Nov 10

Friday, Dec 1

Sunday, Dec 3

For more details and to sign up to volunteer: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ssDpW4xNWHOGlSOXxU5evwgdWTokIO6RPfjbo6mxir8/edit?usp=sharing

Jorge Valentin Diaz and Caroline Rhodes started the SAIDE Holiday Toy Drive in 2021, which continues on in Jorge's memory. Rhodes, Senior Program Manager of Surgery Student Education, and Katie Dupree, Project Assistant for the Office of Multicultural Affairs, are organizing this year's event.