EJ's PJs Mission aims to warm Long Island kids one donation at a time
The nonprofit has already committed thousands of pairs to shelters, soup kitchens and families who reach out in desperation.
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Inside Connect Church in Centereach, the floor is covered in colorful pajamas—tiny superheroes, unicorns and dinosaurs waiting to wrap a child in warmth.
That’s the headquarters of EJ's PJs, where Trish Poggi and her volunteers sort thousands of donations for Long Island's families in need. What began in 2011 with 34 pairs collected off her porch has grown into a movement that delivered 6,000 pairs last year alone and is closing in on 20,000 lifetime.
Poggi's own childhood—marked by losing her mother at a young age—fuels every box she places.
“I get emails from moms brave enough to say, ‘We couldn’t pay the bills this month,’” she said with her voice cracking. "Pajamas aren’t a necessity like a coat, but they’re a hug. They’re courage. They’re knowing someone cares.”
Volunteer Ms. Kim, sorting beside her, added, “It’s such a treat for a child to have something just for sleeping—not the same clothes they wore all day.”
With more than 200 donation boxes now spread from Girl Scout troops to bank branches across Nassau and Suffolk, Poggi is racing to keep every promise. She’s already committed thousands of pairs to shelters, soup kitchens and families who reach out in desperation.
“I won’t tell anyone no,” she says. “Not if the community keeps saying yes.”
To donate new pajamas or host a box, visit EJ's PJs at EJSPJS.org or drop off directly at Connect Church in Centereach through Christmas Eve.
