{"id":81068,"date":"2025-12-25T20:12:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T20:12:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/81068\/"},"modified":"2025-12-25T20:12:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T20:12:08","slug":"at-161-st-yankee-stadium-mta-employees-spread-holiday-joy-with-toys-and-tradition-bronx-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/81068\/","title":{"rendered":"At 161 St\u2013Yankee Stadium, MTA employees spread Holiday joy with toys and tradition \u2013 Bronx Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

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MTA employees posed with their holiday decorations at the 161st Street\/Yankee Stadium subway station, located on East 161st Street and River Avenue.<\/p>\n

Photo by Lesley Cosme Torres<\/p>\n

MTA employees at the 161 St\/Yankee Stadium subway station are bringing holiday cheer to families in need by providing free toys to children who use the South Bronx station.<\/p>\n

The team has also decorated the station\u2019s customer service center for the holiday, along with a creative \u201cElf on the Shelf\u201d for the kids in the neighborhood to enjoy.<\/p>\n

\"\"MTA employees get creative with their \u201cElf on the Shelf\u201d at the Yankee Stadium stop. Courtesy of the MTA.<\/p>\n

Esmeralda Pacheco, an MTA employee had the idea to try and bring the holiday spirit to her station. When she told her co-workers, they happily help her put it all together.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love doing things like this. It just brings us all together,\u201d Pacheco said. \u201cThis is my home away from home. I love seeing the kids smile,\u201d she added, saying that it was her main source of inspiration.<\/p>\n

Pacheco said they first started decoration last year and wanted to make it a tradition, \u201cthis year we went harder than last year,\u201d she said.\n<\/p>\n

Kids are normally the first people to notice the added holiday fun to what\u2019s a normal part of their commute, Pacheco said. Kids are the first to say happy holidays and interact with the MTA workers, so the workers were looking for a way to spread that love.<\/p>\n

According to Pacheco, the idea is to approach random kids with their families and ask if they can give away the presents.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ll be happy getting anything, but I just want to see them smile,\u201d Pacheco said.
\n\"\"MTA workers at the 161 St\/Yankee Stadium stop encourage kids in the South Bronx neighborhood to celebrate the holiday season. Courtesy of the MTA.\n<\/p>\n

Maria Cora-Romero, another MTA worker at the station, said she had the idea to pull money between her and other co-workers to buy the presents because she thought it was a nice gesture for kids who might not get presents otherwise.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s better for me to give than receive,\u201d Cora-Romero said. \u201cI\u2019ll see their faces, their smiles. It makes me happy when I give something to the kids.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

According to Cora-Romero, there are a lot of kids who come through the station who could benefit from this. \u201cI have some kids in mind for this,\u201d she said.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t know if these kids will receive something for Christmas so I\u2019m going to be thinking about them.\u201d
\n\"\"MTA themed \u201cElf on the Shelf\u201d at the 161 St\/Yankee Stadium subway station.Photo courtesy of the MTA\n<\/p>\n

Aasim Robertson has worked for the MTA for 25 years, said he wanted to support his co-workers in helping out kids in need. At the Yankee Stadium subway station, Robertson says there\u2019s a community feel. \u201cIt\u2019s my home,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about bringing joy to these kids who wouldn\u2019t normally have it,\u201d Robertson said.\n<\/p>\n

Reach Lesley Cosme Torres at lcosmetorres@schnepsmedia.com<\/a>. For more coverage, subscribe to our\u00a0newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n

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