Family-owned Mexican restaurant Mesquite Fresh Street Mex is once again partnering with The Foster Alliance (formerly Arizona Helping Hands) to spread holiday cheer to the nearly 15,000 foster children living in Arizona through its annual Toys for Tacos gift campaign.
The local chain launched the Toys for Tacos fundraiser in 2020, distributing one free taco to customers in exchange for a new, unwrapped toy. Mesquite Fresh Street Mex will assist The Foster Alliance with the toy drive efforts through offering drop-off sites at all nine restaurant locations across the Valley. In 2022, Mesquite Fresh Street Mex gave away nearly 1,000 tacos to patrons who donated gifts, and an estimated 1,200 toys were dropped off.
“Mesquite is so excited to support the magic made possible by The Foster Alliance’s incredible outreach and care for foster children in Arizona and beyond,” said Ahmad Alatrash, co-founder of Mesquite Fresh Street Mex. “It is our hope that the Valley joins us in making this year’s holiday season memorable for kids of all ages.”
The Foster Alliance is dedicated to providing essentials to children in foster care to help them thrive on every step of their journey, no matter where they lay their head at night. The nonprofit offers foster families free beds, cribs, diapers, clothes, shoes, back-to-school supplies, toys and more. During the 2022 holiday season, The Foster Alliance served 7,227 children in foster care and gave almost 40,000 gifts. This year, with the help of organizations like Mesquite Fresh Street Mex, The Foster Alliance’s goal is to provide gifts for all 15,000 foster children in Arizona.
“Toy drives are an opportunity for the community to join us as foster allies,” said Bethany Eggleston, vice president of development and marketing for The Foster Alliance. “Providing presents for every foster child in Arizona is a lofty goal, but it’s possible if we work together as a community. We can show every single foster child that they matter, are special, and we will not let them forget it.”
This year, The Foster Alliance is seeking gifts for children of all ages, including sports equipment, art supplies, STEM activities, dolls, musical toys, board games, video games, books, LEGO sets, sensory toys and more. Guests can drop off items at any Mesquite Fresh Street Mex location from now through Monday, Dec. 18. To find a location near you, visit eatmesquite.com. The nearest locations to Queen Creek are in Mesa, at 1222 S. Crismon Road, and in Gilbert, at 4875 S. Val Vista Dr.
