Around 30 volunteers from the Essex Counry section of the National Council of Jewish Women gathered in a North Caldwell home Friday to wrap and present holiday gifts to the Division of Youth and Family Services.

“We always do something for disadvantaged kids each year around holiday time,” NCJW spokeswoman Susan Steinberg said. “We wrapped 100 gifts for 100 kids this year in honor of our 100th anniversary in Essex County, which we will be celebrating in 2012.”

The gifts included board games, battery-operated cars and baby toys, as well as winter weather gear like hats, gloves and scarves. NCJW purchased all of the gifts, which will be donated to children in Essex County that receive services from the Division of Youth and Family Services, or DYFS.

DYFS is the state child protection and welfare agency in New Jersey. The items wrapped Friday will go to economically disadvantaged kids, as well as children in foster care, who wouldn’t otherwise receive gifts, Steinberg said. 

In addition to the volunteers, two DYFS representatives attended the event. Tourae Freeman, Essex County service specialist, said the local children “will love the gifts” and said she enjoyed spending time with the volunteers.

“Normally when we pick up gifts we just get them and leave,” Freeman said. “It was really wonderful to see the volunteers actually wrap them. And when we’re able to present anything to our children to put a smile on their faces, it’s a wonderful feeling.”

DYFS representative Lee Marzabal also attended the event.

Freeman said any local residents interested in donating gifts to DYFS should reach out to her or anyone at any of the Essex area offices in Maplewood, Bloomfield and Newark.