Seasonal & Holidays
Fontoura Spearheads Final Holiday Toy Drive As Sheriff
The Essex County Sheriff's Office delivered more than 3,500 toys and hundreds of coats to people in need this year.
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — For more than 30 years, Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura has been helping to spearhead a holiday toy drive for disadvantaged children in the area. Now – with retirement a skip away – the county’s longest-tenured sheriff in history has taken part in his final drive as sheriff.
Last week, Fontoura and other sheriff’s officers delivered more than 3,500 toys, 300 coats and other winter clothes to more than 45 schools, churches, pantries, domestic violence victims’ shelters and homeless shelters across Essex County.
Fontoura helped to launch the toy drive after taking office in 1990. He announced his retirement earlier this year. Amir Jones was elected as his replacement in November.
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