BOSTON, Dec. 22, 2015—A toy drive by Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s office and the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission is putting hundreds of gifts under the tree for needy kids across Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop.

The Group Insurance Commission’s annual toy drive this year benefitted children served by the Suffolk DA’s office, which also undertook a collection of gifts for families struggling in the aftermath of violent crime. Together, the two agencies assembled a bounty of toys, games, and clothes for kids in need.

District Attorney Dan Conley’s office and the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission collected hundreds of toys this season for children served through the Suffolk DA’s office. From left to right are Katherine Moran, director of the DA’s Victim-Witness Assistance Program, GIC employee Paul Lydon, Conley, and GIC employees Judy Settana and Minh Dang.

“Some of these children have suffered abuse, neglect, or exploitation at the hands of caregivers,” Conley said. “Others lost loved ones to homicide or witnessed terrible violence. This is our small way of helping parents show them the loving kindness that exists in this world all through the year – but especially at a time when family means so much.”

“All of us are so wrapped up with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season that we sometimes neglect to remember that it is about giving, not just receiving,” said GIC Executive Director Dolores Mitchell. “So we were honored to have the chance to reach out to some young people who have had some hard times in their lives and to say Merry Christmas to them and may 2016 be a better year for each and every one of them.”

The Group Insurance Commission provides health, life, and other insurance benefits to Massachusetts state employees, retirees, and their dependents.

The gifts are being distributed through victim-witness advocates assigned to Conley’s office, who provide support and services to the victims in more than 35,000 criminal cases each year.

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