CT Funeral Homes Across State are Collecting Toys & Gift Cards for Operation ELF and 2 Children's Hospitals

On Monday, November 17th, the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association (CFDA) kicked off its 19th annual statewide holiday toy and gift card collection for military families and for children receiving medical care. Now through Wednesday, December 3rd, funeral homes across Connecticut are welcoming toys and gift cards from the public for the Connecticut National Guard's Operation E.L.F. (Embracing Lonely Families) Service Member & Family Support Center for military families, and toys for young patients at Yale New Haven’s Children's Hospital’s Toy Closet Program AND Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

Also, on Thursday, December 4th from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the public can drop items off to CFDA's 137th Convention at the Bristol Event Center on 112 Century Dr. in Bristol, Conn. (off of Enterprise Dr., near ESPN and Doubletree Hotel) On that day, funeral directors from around the state will carry in all of the items that were donated to them, as well as toys and credit cards that they themselves will contribute.

"Funeral directors and suppliers of the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association have held this charitable holiday collection efforts for 19 years, and this is the ninth year we also invite the public to bring donations of gift cards and unwrapped toys to local funeral homes," explains Melissa Melin-Miles, President of the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association who is a Cheshire, Naugatuck and Waterbury area funeral director. "By doing this, we add over 40 convenient community sites that supplement Operation ELF’s, Yale New Haven Children's Hospital’s Toy Closet Program, and Connecticut Children’s own collection efforts. We encourage state residents to take a few minutes and come donate an item that can mean so much to another family."

Below is the list of all Funeral Home Locations (in alphabetical order):

1. Avon: Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center
2. Branford: W.S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home
3. Bristol: O’Brien Funeral Home
4. Cheshire: Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Cheshire
5. Cromwell: Cromwell Funeral Home
6. Derby: Edward F. Adzima Funeral Home
7. East Hampton: Spencer Funeral Home
8. East Hartford: D’Esopo East Hartford Memorial Chapel
9. East Hartford: Goodwin University’s Funeral Services Program in Main Campus Lobby
10. East Windsor: East Windsor Community Funeral Home
11. Enfield: Leete-Stevens Enfield Chapels
12. Fairfield: Abraham L. Green and Son Funeral Home
13. Greenwich: Castiglione Funeral Home
14. Manchester: Holmes-Watkins Funeral Home
15. Meriden: John J. Ferry & Sons Funeral Home
16. Middletown: Doolittle Funeral Home
17. Naugatuck: Buckmiller Ford Mengacci Funeral Home
18. New Britain: Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Burritt Hill
19. Newington: Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Newington Memorial
20. Newington: Neptune Cremation Service
21. Prospect: Prospect Memorial Funeral Home/The Palmerie Family Funeral Home
22. Rocky Hill: Rose Hill Funeral Home
23. Seymour: Ralph E. Hull Funeral Home
24. Shelton: Riverview Funeral Home, Inc.
25. South Windsor: Samsel & Carmon Funeral Home
26. Southbury: Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home
27. Southbury: Stone Family Cremation Services
28. Stafford Springs: Introvigne Funeral Home
29. Stratford: Adzima Funeral Home
30. Torrington: Cook Funeral Home
31. Unionville: Ahern Funeral Home
32. Vernon: Ladd-Turkington & Carmon Funeral Home
33. Wallingford: Wallingford Funeral Home
34. West Hartford: Molloy Funeral Home
35. West Hartford: Sheehan-Hilborn-Breen Funeral Home
36. Wethersfield: Connecticut Funeral Directors Assn. offices at 364 Silas Deane Hwy.
37. Wethersfield: D’Esopo Funeral Chapel
38. Wethersfield: Farley-Sullivan Funeral Home
39. Willimantic: Potter Funeral Home
40. Windsor: Carmon Community Funeral Home
    41. Woodbury: Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home

The 136-year-old Connecticut Funeral Directors Association is comprised of funeral directors at more than 220 funeral homes. Based in Wethersfield, Conn., the professional organization is committed to the promotion and advocacy of high ethical standards in funeral service. This includes the development and presentation of ongoing professional training opportunities for practitioners and educational programs for association members and the public. For more information about the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association or its holiday collection drive, call 860-721-0234 or 800-919-2332 or visit www.ctfda.org