Toys for Pittsburgh Tikes seeks donations for new warehouse, Penn Township fundraiser slated

Four months out from Toys for Pittsburgh Tikes’ busiest time of year, the nonprofit is seeking donations to purchase a new warehouse space.

Toys for Pittsburgh Tikes was launched 12 years ago by Javid Shojaie, the owner of 37-year-old Monroeville business Jaden’s Catering. The operation has grown from generating about $900 per year in donations to more than $158,000 last year, Shojaie said.

The nonprofit collects and donates items such as toys, sports equipment, clothes and backpacks to local churches, police stations, hospitals and charities throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania. The receiving organizations then distribute the items to families in need.

“I’m a true believer that if you take care of the kids today, you have a better future for them and for your community,” Shojaie said. “That’s a goal that I’d like to eventually get there.”

Beyond the holiday-themed limousine in view of Route 22 from the Jaden’s Catering parking lot, Toys for Pittsburgh Tikes has previously operated out of a warehouse owned by one of the nonprofit’s board members.

But now the nonprofit is on the hunt for a new location, as its former warehouse is being remodeled for another use, Shojaie said.

A location in Penn Township, Delmont or Murrysville would be ideal, said board member Teresa King.

“Right now, we have our stuff hidden in trailers and trucks — all over the place,” said King, owner of King’s Seat Tavern in Penn Township. “We just need a place to store the toys and to be able to distribute the toys.”

The nonprofit has been searching for a new space for more than a year, Shojaie said. On average, prices have fallen around $300,000, King said.

To support its next warehouse space, Toys for Pittsburgh Tikes will host a fundraiser Aug. 31 at the Claridge American Legion in Penn Township, featuring vendors, food trucks and performances by six local bands — Bon Journey, Twisted Fate, My Own Worst 90s, Who’s Debbie?, Warehouse 11 and Fonic.

The vendors and food trucks will be up and running by 10 a.m., and the bands will perform from 11 a.m. to 8 or 9 p.m., King said. Admission is $25.

All six bands are donating their time to the event, King said.

“It’s amazing. Everything for this has been donated by somebody,” she said.

The nonprofit also has a golf outing fundraiser scheduled for Sept. 15 at the Westmoreland Country Club in Penn Township and plans to host a bingo night at Live Casino Pittsburgh in Hempfield.

For registration or more information, visit toysforpittsburghtikesevents.com.

“The kids never ask to be placed in a position they’re place at,” Shojaie said. “Our mission is to make a difference in children’s lives, regardless of what religion, what race, what age.”