With the holiday season quickly approaching, we are so excited to once again be hosting our annual holiday toy drive, BEARing Gifts, as part of our Brookfield Cares initiative. While the toy drive may look and feel a little different than years past, we remain committed to bringing holiday joy to the more than 10,000 abused and neglected children in foster care through Harris County Child Protective Services. BEARing Gifts provides brand new gifts to these children, who otherwise may experience no holiday joy at all. 

Beginning on Tuesday, October 27 through Tuesday, December 8, we encourage our tenants who wish to participate in the toy drive to shop online, at Houston-area retailers, or shop from the BEARing Gifts Amazon Wish List.

This year – with the health and safety of our tenants in mind – the 2020 BEARing Gifts Toy Drive will have a virtual component. New and unwrapped toys may be dropped off in-person with the BEAR to your respective property:

• Allen Center (Two Allen Center)
• Houston Center (Two Houston Center, Four Houston Center, LyondellBasell Tower and Fulbright Tower)
• Total Plaza
• Heritage Plaza
• 1600 Smith

Alternatively, gifts may be shipped directly to the building offices using the following addresses: Attn: Brookfield Properties

• Allen Center – 1200 Smith St, Suite 1200, Houston, TX  77002
• 2 Houston Center – 909 McKinney, Suite 100, Houston, TX  77010
• 4 Houston Center – 1200 McKinney, Suite 545, Houston, TX  77010
• Fulbright Tower – 1301 McKinney, Suite 2920, Houston, TX  77010
• LyondellBasell Tower – 1221 McKinney, Suite 3240, Houston, TX  77010
• Heritage Plaza – 1111 Bagby, Plaza Level, Houston, TX  77002
• Total Plaza – 1201 Louisiana, Suite 304, Houston TX  77002
• 1600 Smith – 1600 Smith St, Suite 5100, Houston, TX  77002

No matter how you choose to give, you can still look forward to seeing all the new, unwrapped toys displayed across our lobbies! Through your generosity, last year we were able to collect toys for over 2,000 children and we hope to collect even more this year.

Photo from 2018 BEARing Gifts Toy Drive

In need of gift ideas? We’ve crafted a list with age-specific recommendations:

• Newborn – 12 Months: Nursery Toys, Teething Toys, Interactive Learning Toys (musical, counting, spelling, speech), Ride-On Toys, Sit-To-Stand Walkers, Activity Blankets, Stuffed Animals, Soft Building Blocks
• Toddlers: Interactive Learning Toys (VTECH/Leapfrog), Toy Trucks/Cars, Action Figures/Dolls (and accessories), Costume/Dress-Up Items, Sports Equipment (Balls, Bats, etc.), Board Games, Puzzles, Bikes*, Scooters, Building Blocks/Legos, Stuffed Animals, Play Food/Dishes
• Children (up to 11 years old): Action Figures/Dolls, Bikes (not assembled), Scooters, Skate Boards, Sports Equipment (Balls, Bats, Gloves, etc.), Tween Make-Up Sets, Arts and Crafts Kits, Science/Discovery Kits, Board Games, Puzzles, Legos, Portable DVD Players, Remote Control Cars/Helicopters
• Children 12+: Tablets, Portable DVD Players, Bluetooth Headphones, Portable Speakers, Hand held games, Digital/Instant Cameras (with refills), Make-Up/Beauty Kits, Nail Polish Kits, Bath & Body Sets, Jewelry Items (both genders), Bikes*, Skateboards, Cologne/Perfume Sets, Purses or Backpacks, Wallets, Sports Equipment (all types), gift cards (Academy, Target, Walmart, Bed Bath Beyond, Amazon, VISA, etc.)
• Gift cards for all ages: An easy gift option are gift cards. Please drop off at building office.  We hold and will deliver to BEARing Gifts along with the toys.

Once the toy drive has ended, we will deliver the gifts to Harris County CPS social workers to choose from, wrap, and deliver to the children.

For any additional questions, please contact your property management office or email paige.reed@brookfieldproperties.com. We hope you’ll join us in spreading the holiday cheer to the many children in CPS. We thank you for your support!

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