Ten-year-old Samuel Love is hoping to turn Black Friday into a day of giving.
The fourth grader at Beasley Elementary School was out Friday to search for donations from shoppers to help needy children affected by summer disasters in Colorado and Oklahoma have a good Christmas.
Love hosted a toy drive Friday at Josephine's Cooking, which is owned by his grandmother. He welcomed donations while his grandmother served free bowls of soup.
Victor Love, Samuel's father, said a toy manufacturer in southwest suburban Bedford Park has tentatively agreed to donate 1,000 toys, and Kellar Middle School in south suburban Robbins has agreed to serve as a drop-off location, according to DNAinfo.com
Other drop-off locations include Beasley Elementary at 5225 S. State St, Josephine's Cooking Restaurant, 436 E. 79th St., and McDonald's, at 1657 W. 95th St. and 8313 S. Ashland Ave.
This is the second toy drive Samuel Love has organized.
Last year, Love received national attention after he asked that, instead of receiving toys for Christmas, his family would host a toy drive to send gifts to victims of Hurricane Sandy.
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Love managed to send over 800 toys to New York children, which were distributed by the Salvation Army.
This year, his aspirations are even higher. The young boy is looking to collect up to 2,000 toys to be evenly distributed to victims of recent Oklahoma tornadoes and Colorado floods.
“I want to make kids smile through tough times,” Love said.
On Dec. 6, Love will be taking 1,000 toys to Lyons, Colo. and another 1,000 toys on Dec. 14 to Little Axe, Okla.
“My son is committed to showing this kind of love and compassion every year for families affected by natural disasters," said Victor Love.
