Disclaimer: This Inside South Florida segment is sponsored by Demesmin and Dover Law Firm. All opinions and views are of the advertiser and does not reflect the same of WSFL-TV.
After a long hiatus, Inside South Florida welcomed back Handfuls of Hope Toy Drive founders Barbara Perpignan and her daughter Jazz Archat to share the growth and impact of their holiday mission. What began as a small initiative in 2008 with just 100 toys has now expanded to three cities—Indianapolis, Miami, and, as of this year, Toledo, Ohio—bringing smiles to thousands of children during the holiday season.
Barbara explained how the operation has evolved over the years: “When we first started, we talked about 100 toys. It was just a really cool thing at that time. And from there, it just grew. I moved to South Florida in 2013 and didn’t stop doing it. Every year we have some NFL guys, some artists, just some people that we've partnered with over the years. Demesmin and Dover is our big sponsor. This is their third year on board with us. So we love Victor and Jeremy and the things that they do to help us get these toys and get them out.”
For Jazz, seeing her mother’s vision expand has been deeply touching: “It is incredible just to see where we started. My mom had this vision of always wanting to give back. She always instilled that in us from a young age. And the holiday season can be very stressful when you have kids and they're expecting Santa to come. And so if we can empower more parents to be able to give that magic to their kids, that's that's really all that it's about.”
The team at Handfuls of Hope is always looking for support from the community. Here’s how you can help:
- Donate toys or funds
- Volunteer during events
- Host a collection box at your workplace or organization
- Sponsor shopping days where volunteers purchase toys in bulk
While the drive requires families to register to ensure every child receives a gift, Barbara assured, “We're not looking for your information and we don't check income. The thing for us is we want to make sure we have enough toys. I never want to have too many kids come and not enough toys.”
For more information on how to get involved, connect with Handfuls of Hope through their Instagram, @handfulsofhopetoygiveaway, to find out about upcoming events or volunteer opportunities. This holiday season, their mission remains clear: spreading hope, joy, and magic to families in need.
