Navidad en el Barrio is a toy drive program that the late David Madrigal, a Fire Engine Operator who worked at our firehouse in Southwest Detroit, started about 15 years ago to fill the gap for needy families in the neighborhood by providing toys and clothing during the holidays.
I took over the program about eight years ago when there were about 10 families and 30-40 kids. This year, I’m proud to say we were able to help out more than 50 families and over 250 kids in our community. We are excited to be able to continue to grow the program.
Why do we do this program? That easy to answer for my fellow firefighters and myself. It all ties back to the name “Navidad en el Barrio” which puts the focus on the neighborhood that we serve as public servants. We are here to save lives and protect property 24 hours a day, 365 days a year so to be able to also provide extra support during the holidays is another privilege we have here at the firehouse. We want to interact with our community above and beyond when they typically see us – which is usually during an emergency and one of the worst days of their lives. So to be able to bring joy to local families when it’s not a typical fire or medical emergency is wonderful for everyone involved.
All the firefighters at E33 L13 wholeheartedly support the program. We also have many gracious civilians who step up to help whenever possible. Our top source of support is Western Country Club in Redford which holds an annual toy drive in conjunction with one of their annual holiday events. In addition, Abick’s Bar & Grill also hosts a toy drive party and provides monetary donations. And Classic Storage Detroit graciously donates a substantial monetary gift each year to help us fill in gaps in gifts we need as the program continues to grow.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
