Jennifer Sneider, owner of J‑Cuts located at 505 Howe Ave., downtown Shelton, has launched the eleventh year of collecting stuffed monkeys for children.
Donations may be dropped off or mailed to J‑Cuts from now through Feb. 10.
Aside from collecting at J Cuts, an additional drop off is Barb’s Corner Consignment, located at 25 W Main Street, Ansonia (near the train station.)
This annual community event benefits abused and neglected children, impoverished, adopted and sick children, frightened children involved in police calls, as well as children treated for emergencies, cancer or other illnesses at local hospitals.
The 10th Annual Monkey Love Valentine Drive, held in 2016, collected and distributed more than 303 stuffed monkeys to the Boys & Girls Club in Ansonia and Milford, along with the Lower Naugatuck Valley Boys & Girls Club in Shelton; Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital in New Haven; TEAM Inc. in Derby and Ansonia; BHcare’s Center for Domestic Violence Services in Ansonia; Griffin Hospital of Derby; and the Department of Children & Families in Milford.
Coordinators also shared 26 of the stuffed monkeys as “26 Random Acts of Kindness.”
Since the inception of this community effort to warm the hearts of children in need, 10,630 stuffed monkeys have been donated from all over the World!
Sneider uses her business as the main collection and drop off location. She wanted to help out by taking this drive over from the former owners of Luther’s Garage automotive repair business, which was previously located around the corner from her business.
“This is my seventh year being involved,” says Sneider. “It is an amazing feeling to know each and every one of these monkeys will find comfort in the arms of a child in need and the children will find comfort in these monkeys. Each year, we hope to have an even more successful drive to create miles of smiles on the faces of children to show them they are loved.”
Stuffed monkeys have already been dropped off by the Milford Fire Department. This is their fifth year participating.
Once again last year, Bright Horizons child care center of 3 Corporate Drive, Shelton and United Methodist Women of the First United Methodist Church, 47 Franklin Street, Ansonia, joined in by holding collections of their own.
In addition, Mary Finnegan and Lenny Marconi held their Sixth Annual Monkey Love Sunday Jan. 31 at Off the Hook Bar & Grill on Ferry Boulevard in Stratford.
As a member of the online meet-up group, Party Express, Marconi decided to invite everyone to Off the Hook each year for a monkey drop off party. Between donations from this group and many loyal customers of Off the Hook, over 150 stuffed monkeys were collected again.
According to Finnegan, “Any extra monkey we can collect is an extra smile and one more warm heart within a child who needs it the most.”
Area individuals, corporations and groups are also encouraged to become involved by holding collections of their own.
Minuteman Press of 427 Howe Ave., Suite 2, donated posters.
In celebration of the 11th year, coordinators are hoping to mark this milestone by launching a “monkey love challenge” and have it go viral. They would like to have people participate by buying some monkeys, making a cute video, posting it on social media and calling out others to do the same, then mailing or bringing their donations to J‑Cuts.
For health and safety reasons, stuffed monkeys must be new with tags.
J Cuts also holds an annual Back to School Book Bag & School Supply Drive beginning July 1 each year.
For more information, call J‑Cuts at 203 – 924-4107.
