First Columbia provides space for the Unity House 2024 Children’s Holiday Market at 484 River Street in Troy, New York.
TROY, NY – December 9, 2024 – (WNYT) Everything in the Unity House Children’s Holiday Market has been donated – from a very generous community. Unity House hosts this event in Troy so that people can shop for free, and with dignity. Shoppers get a chance to pick out the things they want for their children.
“I know that it’s a stressful time to decide whether to pay a certain bill or to give your child a special gift for the holiday and I think if we can at least help with that little bit, our mission is to make life better and to me, there’s nothing better than that,” said Unity House Children’s Holiday Program Coordinator Moira Geracitano.
Shoppers select both gifts and essentials. They get two “wants” and two “needs” per child, and everyone gets pajamas, hats, mittens, and socks. They even get paper and tape, so they can wrap their gifts.
Shoppers are referred through programs, and shopping is by appointment only.
The space to help the community was provided by First Columbia, which has a lot of projects in the area. The location is 484 River Street, a vacant building across from the well-known Waterfront Courtyard Marriott and 433 River Street.
“We’re very happy, we have a lot of great employees from Troy and we’re trying to use our resources to invest in their communities to make things better for everyone.” said First Columbia President Kevin Bette.
“There’s just great items here. You walk through and see a lot of new stuff and a lot of very high quality gifts and it warms your heart that they’re going to go to people that need them more.”
This room may look full, but over the next two weeks, more than 1,000 children will get gifts from this market, including Priscilla’s youngest children.
“The way they smile and they get along. I love when they get along. They can’t be like, oh that’s mine, that’s mine, nope. You got your own stuff, you like that, you like that, they’re good,” she said. “But the fun, the laughing, the giggling, that’s what makes me– that’s my Christmas.”
###