CHATHAM — Thirteen-year-old Samuel Love is giving Santa Claus a run for his money.
The seventh-grader from Chatham is in his fifth year collecting toys for his now annual "Sam'ta Love Toy Drive." He has helped collect more than 13,000 toys as well as thousands of dollars in donations and gift cards since he started his efforts when he was just 9 years old.
"Samuel Love is a natural born leader," said Veronica Resa, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Children of Family Services, which partnered with Samuel this year.
Samuel has helped thousands of needy kids not just in Chicago and Illinois, but across the country. He has targeted victims of natural disasters in places like New York, which was the beneficiary of his first toy drive following Hurricane Sandy in 2012. That year his drive netted 800 toys — and he was flown to New York for an appearance on "Anderson Live" with Anderson Cooper. He has also sent toys to Arkansas, Myrtle Beach, Columbus and Charleston.
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This year, he started his efforts in June, and he is targeting children from Lumberton, N.C., and neighboring Princeville who were affected by Hurricane Matthew and other flooding earlier this year. He said he wanted to make their Christmas a happy one for those kids.
In all, more than 5,000 toys have been donated this year. He also got a $4,000 gift from Illinois Service Federal Bank in Bronzeville to help.
Also, new this year were the gift cards collected for older children who are under the guardianship of DCFS. Last month, Samuel and the state partnered in special rally and toy drive at the Thompson Center Downtown, where he was joined by the department’s director, George Sheldon.
The goal was to get at least 160 gift cards, Resa said, but they surpassed it. She said Lurie Children's Hospital donated 365.
But even though the 5,000 toys amounted to only half of Love's goal set at the start of the drive this year, he was not deterred. Love said he will start even earlier next year so that he can reach that goal of 10,000 toys.
"If we keep doing this it’ll keep getting bigger," Samuel said. "We’re just going to keep going up.”
Bike Building
Samuel also teamed up with Breaking Bread, a men's group that does mentoring and community work. The group, which was co-founded by Samuel's father, Victor Love, hosted a bike-building event the week before Christmas at Capt.'s Hard Times Dining, 436 E. 79th St. The restaurant is co-owned by Love and Samuel's grandmother.
The group's members, which included police officers from the Gresham District, black fraternities, 100 Black Men and members of New Life Covenant Church’s Men's Ministry, helped Samuel put together 25 bicycles donated by Toys “R” Us.
RELATED: 12-YEAR-OLD COLLECTS TOYS FOR KIDS AFFECTED BY TORNADOES AND FLOODS
Victor Love said that his son's foundation has been getting more attention. But as his son's efforts become better known, the need continues to grow, he said. Love partnered with his son’s foundation because he saw it as a great opportunity to get men talking about how to help the community.
“We wanted to support Sam and his endeavor and we thought it would be smart to put the bikes together with all men,” Love said. “We wanted to have a conversation with some of Chicago's finest, police officers, and engage in a conversation.”
Volunteer Shaan Trotter brought his son Aubrey to help. [DNAinfo/Andrea V. Watson]
Shaan Trotter, a South Shore resident, met Love the same day of the event and decided to come help. He brought his 7-year-old son Aubrey Trotter.
“I’m at Northwestern Medicine so most of my activities tend to be in Streeterville and so just to hear his story and to know that men were gathering on the South Side was a great opportunity,” Trotter said.
He said his brought his son so that he could learn more about volunteering.
“I liked testing [the bikes] out,” Aubrey said.
Balancing Act
Balancing band, baseball and school for the Murray Language Academy student has become more challenging for the now seventh grader. This year he had to study for the U.S. Constitution test so he read from note cards and his binder while traveling. He said he enjoys inspiring his classmates at his school, 5335 S. Kenwood Ave., as well as kids citywide.
“When they see me doing four different activities they think, ‘Oh wow, I can do more,’” he said.
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