WEST CHESTER, PA — A seasonal outpouring of generosity across Chester County is delivering holiday cheer to some of the community’s youngest and most vulnerable children, as the Chester County Intermediate Unit’s Head Start program was selected as a beneficiary of the 2025 WSFS Bank and Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce Holiday Toy Drive.
The annual initiative mobilizes residents, businesses, and students to collect toys, books, and gifts for local families in need. This year, donations gathered at WSFS Bank branches throughout the region will help brighten the holidays for children enrolled in CCIU’s Head Start program, which provides early childhood education and family support services to income-eligible families across the county.
Forty-gallon collection boxes, decorated by art students from the West Chester Area School District, were placed in WSFS locations, where customers and community members filled them with gifts throughout the holiday season. The donations are distributed among three local nonprofit organizations serving children and families.
Representatives from CCIU joined leaders from the other selected nonprofits on December 10 at a celebratory breakfast hosted by St. Agnes School, where they gathered the donated toys and highlighted their missions before preparing the gifts for distribution.
Tamara Acuna, assistant director for student services at the Chester County Intermediate Unit, said the support arrives at a meaningful time for families served by Head Start, many of whom face economic challenges during the holidays. She credited WSFS Bank, the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce, and participating residents for turning a simple act of giving into a powerful community effort.
CCIU officials said the Head Start team will work directly with families to ensure the gifts reach children who need them most, reinforcing the program’s mission to support not only early learning but also the overall well-being of children and families.
Organizers said the toy drive reflects a broader spirit of collaboration across Chester County, where schools, businesses, and civic groups come together each year to ensure the holiday season brings warmth and hope to every corner of the community.
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