New York Hospital Queens -FreeMAT Kicks-off Holiday Community Toy Drive For U.S. Army & Troops Families

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Flushing, New York - New York Hospital Queens’ FreeMAT (the Freedom Medical Aid Team) is pleased to announce that today marks the kick-off of a  holiday community toy drive for the families of the U.S. Army.

Unwrapped toys of any kind (new only) for children of any age will be collected through December 10. There are two drop off locations: New York Hospital Queens at 56-45 Main Street at Booth Memorial Avenue in Flushing, Department of Emergency Medicine; and the hospital’s Ambulance Division at 163-15 46th Avenue in Flushing.

The FreeMAT volunteer group was conceived post-911 after EMT-Paramedics from New York Hospital Queens served in the recovery efforts at Ground Zero. Strongly compelled to help U.S. troops as they fight terrorism abroad, FreeMAT developed the idea to collect supplies and gifts for the troops and families of the Army’s 77th Regional Readiness Command based out of Fort Totten, Queens.

The toys will be distributed to the children of those soldiers who are fighting overseas and will miss the holiday season with their loved ones. The gifts will be presented at several holiday parties in December.

“We have been collecting donations, gifts and supplies for United States Armed Forces personnel and their families since April 2003,” said Peter Kwiath, NYHQ EMT-P, and co-founder of FreeMAT. “We are very grateful for the support of our local elected officials, community organizations, schools and churches that actively support FreeMAT efforts for this holiday toy drive and beyond.”

New York Hospital Queens is a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System and affiliated with the Weill Medical College of Cornell University.