Nearly 300 families made their way to St. Peter’s Teen Center on Christmas Eve to receive gifts at the Menino Family and Catholic Charities of Boston’s annual holiday toy drive. Teen Center staff joined the Menino Family and Cardinal Seán O’Malley in the gym to distribute the presents.

The late Mayor Thomas Menino established the holiday toy drive 26 years ago, and his widow, Angela Menino, his children, Susan and Tommy Menino, and his grandchildren have kept it going. Over a thousand gifts are given out to families in need each year through the event. 

Menino’s granddaughter, Samantha Menino, volunteered at this year’s toy drive and said that she’s happy to help keep the tradition alive. “Ever since I can remember, I’ve been coming here with my grandfather and we would pass out toys, walk Bowdoin Street, and just make sure that everyone had some food on the table for Christmas, a toy under the tree, whatever they needed,” she told the Reporter. 

“He would make a list, or call his people and say, ‘I need a ham at this person’s house,’ or ‘I need a toy at this person’s house,” she said. St. Peter’s was one of his favorite places to be on Christmas Eve and once he passed on, we knew that we had to continue the legacy.”

The staff at the Teen Center start collecting forms from families in November — recording how many children will be needing gifts, and what each child might like as a present — and send the requests to the Menino family. 

Funding for the event was donated by the Mayor Thomas M. Menino Fund for Boston, the City of Boston Credit Union, and Ena Liquors. The Boston Police Department donated bike helmets for the 70 bicycles that were purchased.

Volunteers and families gathered in the Teen Center basement to hear from Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Police Commissioner William Gross, and Mayor Walsh before the event commenced. 

“This is such a wonderful day,” said O’Malley. “We’re so grateful for this celebration that reminds us how much our God loves us. We wish all of you a Merry Christmas and thank all of the organizers for their hard work.”

Said Walsh: “This is a tradition that Mayor Menino loved. He’d do a walk through the neighborhood, down Bowdoin Street, and we’ve kept that tradition alive. I want to thank everyone who put this together and I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.” 

He then led volunteers and C-11 Boston Police officers on a walk along Bowdoin Street, stopping in at businesses along the street, and passing out toys and gift cards to children and families in the area. 

“It’s a neighborhood that we put a lot of attention into. It’s a great place,” Walsh told the Reporter during the walk. “There are a lot of families and kids. We have a lot of toy drives and events going on today in the city. This is about walking around and wishing everyone a little Christmas joy.”