Thieves allegedly made out with $20,000 worth of donated toys from St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, but the generosity of the community remained.
Donors from around Phoenix gathered Monday night at 1130 The Restaurant, a few blocks east of the Downtown campus, to replenish the toys stolen at the end of October.
The stolen toys were intended as holiday gifts for children with medical conditions at St. Joseph’s Child Rehabilitative Services clinic.
“It’s incredible to see how the community rallied around us,” said Carmelle Malkovich, spokeswoman for St. Joseph’s. “Everybody in their own individual right has been so helpful.”
The pile of toys at 1130 The Restaurant grew beneath a lit Christmas tree as dozens of donors trickled in. Free appetizers, a costumed Santa Claus and live music from three members of the local band Unified Fusion were also offered.
Co-workers Jennifer Polansky, Nancy Stiver and Maria Pasillas from Metro Auto Auction provided many of the gifts under the tree.
The three said they had participated in a charity event for HopeKids, a nonprofit organization that supports children with cancer, and had around 50 gifts left over.
“When we heard about what happened, we couldn’t believe (it),” Stiver said.
Polansky said they decided this was the perfect event to put the extra gifts to good use and have fun.
“When you give to kids, it feels good,” she said.
Amber Cesena, general manager of 1130 The Restaurant, said she decided to hold a donation party after seeing news of the theft on TV.
“It really hit close to home,” Cesena said.
She said her daughter spent time at the St. Joseph’s Child Rehabilitative Services clinic due to a birth defect.
“My kids were both like, ‘This is awful,’” she said.
She said she heard donors could drop off toys at St. Joseph’s Hospital, but knew time and travel constraints might deter donors. She decided it might be easier to let people donate at the restaurant.
Malkovich said the community has already donated enough toys to replace the stolen ones. They were replenished in less than a week since the theft was publicized.
“Of course when these were stolen we were heartbroken because our child life specialists had spent all year collecting toys,” she said.
The toys were allegedly taken from a locked unit in a parking garage.
The hospital chose not publicize it until last week so they could locate another secure storage unit for future toys, Malkovich said.
The toys, which had previously been stored in a parking garage, had always been safe in previous years, she said.
She said the case is still under investigation.
Cesena said if the hospital decided they didn’t need more toys she would donate them to another program like Toys for Tots, a donation program organized by the U.S. Marine Corps.
She said she was just glad to help.
“It’s unfortunate when something bad happens, but so much good comes out of it,” Cesena said.
Reach the reporter at sksmith9@asu.edu
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