Unique Families, Inc. started their first toy drive during the 2016 holiday season. On December 23, the majority of the toys collected were delivered to the students at South Florida Autism Charter School, which is being housed at Country Club Middle School.
For several weeks, toys were collected and dropped off at Mater Lakes Academy. Once the toys arrived, they were inspected to make sure they were appropriate for autistic children and then they were classified for boys, girls, or unisex.
It took five days to inspect, classify, and wrap each present to prepare them for delivery by Santa Claus. Santa arrived on a Hialeah Fire Department truck, followed by a Mater Lakes bus, loaded with toys for the children at the school. The students, dressed in their Christmas pajamas, had a chance to meet with Santa, as his elves and members of the Mater Lakes Key Club helped distribute toys to all the children.
Over 400 toys were collected in collaboration with local partners – Mater Lakes Academy, PSN Town Center, Therapy by Design, Inc., Miami-Dade College North, First Origin Mortgage Lenders, Mater Lakes Key Club, and the Hialeah Fire Department. The toys were distributed to not just the students of South Florida Autism Charter School, but to students at Angel’s Reach Divergent Learning Academy and to North Miami Beach Senior High, as well.
“I am blessed to have received so much support for our Inaugural Toy Drive, and look forward to having more events to raise awareness on autism and how to help children and the families affected by it,” said Gail Ulloa, founder of Unique Families.
Unique Families, currently has some fundraising projects going on, and are planning more events for 2017, such as a Gala and having the second Annual Walk for Autism event. In October, Unique Families, Inc., held their inaugural walk for Autism Awareness, that began from Mater Lakes Academy to the PSN Town Center.
Unique Families, Inc, is a non-profit organization, which opened in the beginning of 2015. It is geared to help families who are currently experiencing or living with autism or any other type of disability that affects their families. Unique Families, Inc. was created to help families who are struggling financially to get their children the therapies and services they need and to be able to provide a source of refuge and a place of acceptance for all families. For more information and how to donate and volunteer with Unique Families, Inc. visit the organization’s website at
www.uniquefamilies.org.