Phi Sigma Sigma and Sigma Alpha Epsilon are hosting separate toy drives this holiday season. Both organizations gathered funds and toys from students of the University of New Haven community.

SAE’s annual toy drive collects toys and funds for the Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital, and to accomplish this they asked students and community members to donate what they can to their cause- with the aim of surpassing the previous year’s sum of $1,300 in funds and toys.

“I love to give back,” SAE’s Jeremy Bellman said at their tabling event in Bartels. “It really warms my heart knowing that I made a difference… It’s my favorite philanthropy event.”

Meanwhile, Phi Sigma Sigma has also been putting on their own, separate annual drive. Going on for over six years, Phi Sigma Sigma works with Christian Community Action and the Boys and Girls Club of New Haven to donate presents to low income families in the area.

Christian Community Action is a social service organization with the goal of helping New Haven’s less fortunate.

“Growing up, I used to get a lot of Christmas presents from toy drives when my family couldn’t afford things,” Phi Sigma Sigma’s Marina Jube said.

Phi Sigma Sigma received a list of 230 children in the greater New Haven area, with their names and what they want for Christmas.

“Everyone really enjoys the holidays, but we don’t think so much about the fact that not everyone gets to have the same experience we do,” Phi Sigma Sigma’s Elise Catan said. “Different clubs on campus have come and supported too.”

Both organizations celebrated success with their events, withSAE quickly surpassing their initial goal, and Phi Sigma Sigma celebrating their own drive’s success with a gathering in the German Club where a field of presents were laid out beneath a Christmas tree.

“It’s nice to see the whole campus community come together for such a good cause,” Catan said.