Avella, New York Hospital Queens Holding Toy Drive

State Senator-elect Tony Avella said his staff has teamed up with New York Hospital Queens to collect toys for the children of Army personnel who have been deployed from Fort Totten.

Avella's office, located at 38-50 Bell Blvd. in Bayside, is one of several places where northeast Queens residents can drop off gifts as part of the toy drive.

"It is extremely important that we not only honor those men and women who are away from home serving their country, but that we do everything we can to reach out and help the families who are without their loved ones during these special holidays," he said.

Gifts collected during the drive will be handed out to children whose parents have been deployed from Fort Totten, which is located along the Cross Island Parkway in Bay Terrace.

The fort, a Civil War fortress, is owned by the city's Department of Parks and Recreation. It was formerly utilized by the United States Army Reserve as a training center.

Allison Slening, a spokeswoman for New York Hospital Queens, said toys collected during the drive will be distributed to the children of the 99th Regional Readiness Command during several upcoming holiday parties.

"We want new, unwrapped toys," she said.

Locations for drop-off include Avella's office and the hospital's main entrance at 56-45 Main St. in Flushing as well as its public affairs department at 41-61 Kissena Blvd.

Other sites include the Emergency Medical Services Department's office at 163-15 46th Ave. in Flushing, Vallone & Vallone law office at 25-29 Francis Lewis Blvd. in Flushing, Councilman Dan Halloran's, R-Whitestone, office at 166-08 24th Rd. and Councilman Peter Koo's, R-Flushing, office at 135-27 38th St.

The drive is coordinated by the Freedom Medical Aid Team, which has been collecting toys from Queens residents for members of the U.S. military since 2003.

For more information, contact Peter Kwiath, coordinator for the hospital's drive, at 718-670-2091.

State Assemblywoman Ann-Margaret Carrozza, D-Bayside, is currently holding her own toy drive until Dec. 23.

For that drive, gifts should be dropped off at Carrozza's office, located at 213-33 39th Ave. in Bayside, or at the Allergy & Asthma Center on 38-21 Bell Blvd.