NORTH READING — The North Reading Masonic Lodge is hosting a new toy collection for the Mighty Meredith Project again this year on Sunday, November 27 and Sunday, December 4 from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. at the lodge, 238 Park St.
The Mighty Meredith Project is in need of new toys, games and gift cards to help children who find themselves in local hospitals at different times of the year, and more specifically during the holiday season.
North Reading is lucky enough to have a strong charitable group that supports families in need based right here in North Reading. The Mighty Meredith Project is run by North Reading teenager Meredith Casey with the support of her mom, Karen Bradlinski Casey, and their family and friends. They are looking for new unwrapped toy donations and gift cards to support their “Fill the Box” mission of giving these toys to hospitalized children and teens.
All types of donations are appreciated. The ages of the recipients varies from young toddlers to young teens.
To find out more about the Mighty Meredith Project, read their story on their website at www.mightymeredith.com. The website includes a Wish List, but they are looking to collect anything the donor thinks a child would want to receive. For those who are able to support the efforts of MMP, but who cannot shop or swing by during the collection days, there is a “Donate Now” option on the Mighty Meredith Project home page.
The toys, games and donations are brought to Meredith’s wrapping station where volunteers will match the toys with the proper patients and families to help make the holidays a little brighter for them and their families.
The North Reading Masons are a community-based group of men who enjoy helping others. They work with local groups who share a similar desire to make our community better and to bring joy to those in need. Under the past leadership of William McIntire and the current leadership of Jeff Feinberg, the North Reading Masons have provided assistance to many local groups and individuals. And, the Masons are very pleased to provide a collection location for a worthy group such as the Mighty Meredith Project as 2022 marks the third year that the Masons have hosted this toy collection.
The Mighty Meredith Project is special to North Reading Mason Matt Libby. Matt and his family unknowingly benefited from the Mighty Meredith Project when his son, Christopher, found himself in Tufts Floating Hospital a few years ago. Bringing a child to the hospital can be very scary and unsettling for a family. So, when the nurse brought a gaming system to Christopher, it provided a much needed distraction for the patient and family to get through a difficult and intense time. And the Libby family didn’t receive special treatment; this is a typical experience for young patients entering the hospital. The Mighty Meredith Project helps countless families through its “Be Kind” mission and the generous donations from caring people in the community.
The November 27 and December 4 collections at the Masonic Lodge will be a major collection event for the Mighty Meredith Project. North Reading residents have proven to be very generous. In 2020, the weekend event received over 500 donations from North Reading residents and the 2021 collection surpassed that mark. “Each year, we were able to stuff a minivan full of toys. The goal is to surpass that amount and spread more joy to more families during the 2022 holiday season,” Libby said.
