D’Veal Plans Holiday Toy Giveaway At Candyland-Themed Family Event

D’Veal Family and Youth Services will distribute toys and bicycles to children of current client families during a Candyland-themed celebration on Thursday, December 18 at the Duarte Teen Center, the Pasadena nonprofit’s leadership announced.

“Community is important and our role is to be able to provide the unmet needs in underserved communities,” says John McCall, Chief Executive Officer of D’Veal. “We’re excited about the fact that all of our families will come. We’ll be able to give toys and gifts for their children. There’ll be food and games. We’re going to be raffling off bicycles for various ages.”

The event, exclusively for current D’Veal clients and consumers, will feature decorated spaces and staff members in festive attire leading interactive games and activities designed to strengthen family bonds.

“We’re excited to connect with the children and families we serve in a fun, festive environment rather than in the clinical setting they’re used to. Our staff are excited to engage our clients with fun games and activities to celebrate the holiday season together.”

“Research is showing that the COVID-19 pandemic really affected social and familial connections. The use of play with children and families allows them to regain those lost connections and reopen important lines of communication among family members.”

“We’ve had the opportunity to send some of our staff for play therapy certification and it’s exciting to use their expertise on a larger scale, outside of a one-on-one therapy session, to help families heal, connect, and most importantly, have fun together.”

The Duarte Teen Center location was strategically chosen to serve families across D’Veal’s service area.

“Given traffic here in Southern California, we thought a halfway point would be great to have it in Duarte, so that way it’s centralized to all of our service areas,” McCall notes.

The organization serves communities including Pasadena, Monrovia, El Monte, Glendora, and West Covina.

While the toy giveaway celebrates the holiday season, it also advances D’Veal’s broader mission of supporting mental health in underserved communities. The organization operates in 18 schools across six school Districts, providing comprehensive mental health services to their clients and families.

For more about D’Veal, click here.