Chicago Spurs and The Atlantic Bar recently partnered up for our 4th Annual Holiday Book and Toy Drive during the week of December 11th through December 18th, 2016. This drive was our second community service effort of the year and was held to benefit local charities Bernie’s Book Bank and Toys for Tots Chicago. Though we have partnered with Toys for Tots Chicago during past holiday seasons, this was our first year collecting children’s books for Bernie’s Book Bank. The effort was a great success! Chicago Spurs and The Atlantic Bar were able to donate about $400 worth of books and toys to benefit children in need all around the Chicagoland area through these two wonderful organizations.

Bernie’s Book Bank is a local charity that collects, processes, and distributes new and gently-used books (infant to 6th grade reading level) to children in need all throughout the Chicago area. Studies have shown that 61% of low-income families do not have books in the home for children to read, impacting the readiness of local children for school. Bernie’s Book Bank aims to increase this number by distributing entire libraries of books to local families in need. Since 2009, they have distributed over 7 million books to Chicago children.

Toys for Tots is a national organization that collects new, unwrapped toys during October through December of each year to distribute to local children in need. As written in their mission statement, “The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens.” Toys for Tots is run through local U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Units all around the country.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the cause. Keep a lookout for our next community service event in February 2017. We at Chicago Spurs wish everyone a very merry holiday season. May the New Year bring you peace and happiness (and plenty of Spurs victories.) COYS!