CHICAGO, December 19, 2012 – The WGN Morning News Drive-Thru Toy Drive celebrated its 10th year; its third tied to Jennifer Hudson. This four-hour event featured carolers, Santa, holiday fun, and an appearance by Jennifer Hudson. Viewers and companies drove thru to drop off a record sum of toys …over 30,000!
All toys will be donated to Jennifer Hudson’s Julian D. King Gift Foundation and will be dispersed to children at The Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center located at 1250 West 119th Street, Chicago, IL 60643 at 10am, December 24th until all toys are given away. (As in the past, in order to receive any toys, proof of low income must be provided; ie: medical card and your child must be present). Jennifer Hudson’s Julian D. King Gift Foundation is named in honor of the singer-actress’s nephew Julian King. The specific purpose of the Foundation is to help provide holiday toys to needy children in Chicago. Any questions can be sent to: juliandkinggiftfoundation@yahoo.com
WGN held satellite toy drives prior to today’s event. Viewers who dropped off new unwrapped toys to the following toy drop-off locations, received the following special offers: Abt Electronics in Glenview, IL – donors received a $20 Abt voucher given with a donation of a new, unwrapped toy; Chicago Cubs Charities – donors got one free skate pass at the Rink at Wrigley; The Hair Cuttery—donors received a coupon for a free shampoo, hair-cut and blow dry; Hollywood Palms in Naperville and Hollywood Boulevard in Woodridge, IL – donors got a Free Movie Pass good for two people at any Hollywood location and exclusive “Hobbit” ornament. Other partners included Feldco Windows, Siding and Doors, Bob Rohrman, the law offices of Polsinelli & Shughart with community partner Presence Healthcare and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Rockettes.
WGN-TV is Chicago’s CW network affiliate, programming a strong schedule of news, sports and entertainment, with most WGN Sports telecasts, WGN News and CW programs in high definition on WGN 9.1. WGN-TV programs more news than any other Chicago TV station for WGN-TV and cable news channel CLTV in Chicago; Rockford, IL; and South Bend, IN. WGN 9.2 is Chicago’s home of Tribune Broadcasting’s classic TV network, Antenna TV. WGN also programs for WGN America on cable, telco and satellite throughout the U.S. WGN-TV is a Tribune Broadcasting station. For additional information on Chicago’s Very Own WGN-TV, go to WGNtv.com
