Around 10 donated toys collected for the Lighthouse Program of Bridgeport were taken from the toy drive boxes at Staples High School the weekend of Nov. 22. This toy drive was set up and promoted by Staples National Honors Society with the goal of bringing gifts to underprivileged children, however, these toys were likely taken out of the boxes by Westport kids.
Logan Noorily ’25, the leader of this toy drive, left school that Friday after checking up on the almost filled boxes. When she came back on Monday Nov. 25, she found nearly half of the toys gone with no explanation.
“It just makes me terribly upset because every toy taken is one less kid who opens a gift on the holidays,” Noorily said. “I think the kids who took them might’ve not thought it was a big deal, but I think it will make or break a holiday season to kids who don’t get toys at all.”
The Lighthouse Program in Bridgeport is a community program that provides over 2200 students a daily safe and supportive after school environment of educational, cultural, and recreational opportunities. Noorily has volunteered here for many years, and was tasked with the job of collecting toys from Staples High School to donate to their holiday event.
The Staples Players’ show “Elf” took place during the weekend the toys went missing, and Noorily says people claimed they saw children during intermission playing with new-looking toys in the hallway, yet nothing is confirmed. It is difficult to confirm who took the toys since the school’s camera footage only captured people putting toys into the boxes and not taking any out, and because the school is used by a lot of different groups throughout the week and weekend.
“I know it was probably an unintentional action and not malicious by these young kids, but the parents should really have been watching them, and not allowing them to take toys that are clearly labeled not for them,” Brooke Saporta ’25 said. Saporta helped Noorily run the drive by making the boxes and putting them around school with her.
Charlotte Berner ’25 also contributed to the cause by donating toys that she carefully selected with the intent of putting a smile on the receiving childrens’ faces. Her donations included a new Barbie doll, an automatic car, and a make-your-own bracelet kit. All of these toys were taken.
“I spent $90 on these toys,” Berner said. “I spent that money because I knew it would go to a good cause to kids who wouldn’t otherwise be able to get gifts. Getting them stolen really takes away from the goodness of giving back to the community.”
At the end of the toy drive Staples High School will be donating around 60 toys to Lighthouse.
“If you think about that, if around 10 toys were taken, that still makes a big difference to those 10 kids,” Noorily said. “Here we’re so desensitized to the feeling of receiving— I think I am too when I get a gift on a holiday, but for these kids it’s so much more meaningful, they’re so ecstatic and grateful.”
To compensate for these missing toys, the toy drive leaders have been reaching out to more stores and people to donate.
Karla Quinn, grade level assistant and head of National Honors Society emphasizes the positive generosity of Staples and the community.
“It seems that people really stepped up the last few days of our drive,” Quinn wrote. “There will be a lot of happy children receiving the toys that were collected.”
