A toy giveaway event in Youngstown Saturday had intended to spread holiday joy — but according to upset parents, it left several children in tears.

“They brought a whole bunch of people into a gym and disappointed a lot of kids and disappointed a lot of parents during the Christmas season,” said Tanya Griego, a mother of two who lives in Youngstown, in an interview with 21 News. 

More than 1,200 people turned out to the “Toy Fest” at Cardinal Mooney High School (which was not a sponsor or organizer of the event), according to organizer and youth pastor Benjamin Battaglini. The event’s official registration site said each family in attendance would have “the chance to receive toys, gifts, and other giveaways,” which included “gift cards, bill pays [and] groceries.” 

According to Youngstown mother Ally Starzyk, this led many parents to expect they would each get at least one free toy for their child. However, when they showed up, they learned it was a raffle event, and many of them would leave empty-handed. 

“It's not about being unappreciative. We appreciate the fact that this was put together. … The way it was advertised and stuff, it was just very misleading to families, especially those who needed the assistance and help,” Starzyk said. 

Parents told 21 News the environment at the Toy Fest felt disorganized and chaotic, and from their perspective, it appeared that the vast majority of children in attendance did not receive toys. 

“They started calling the kids to play games,” Griego said. “They would have them face each other and play games against each other to see who would get the toy that was in front of them, and then one kid would leave with the toy. … So you had a lot of disappointed kids and a lot of mad parents.”

Battaglini wrote in a statement to 21 News that he was “aware that there have been some community concerns regarding the event” but declined to substantively respond to the complaints. 

Battaglini also shared emails with 21 News that he said he had sent to registrants. In those messages, he said volunteers distributed more than 300 toys, 1,000 goody bags, two televisions and multiple gift cards — “including Visa cards that can be used toward groceries and household bills” — at the Youngstown event. At a similar event in Newton Falls, he said 50 toys, 200 goody bags, one television and gift cards were given out. 

The emails also said 325 people between both events “made the decision to begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.” According to attendees, Battaglini spoke at the event about the importance of Christmas as a religious holiday focused on Christian beliefs. 

Starzyk described the environment as “pushy” and unwelcoming to nonreligious people. 

“This event was about God and preaching to you and praying for you,” Starzyk said. “It wasn't very much about trying to provide gifts for families and children, that's how I felt personally.”

Griego, herself a Christian, told 21 News she took no issue with the religious overtones of the event but disagreed with Battaglini’s “bait and switch tactic.”

“They could have said, ‘We're holding a raffle, we're delivering a message, come out and spend some time with us’ ... The message they're delivering is a great message, but it needs to be delivered in truth and honesty,” Griego said. 

Online, the events were billed as being presented by “Touch Heaven Youth,” a youth group organization led by Battaglini and associated with Touch Heaven Community Church in Canfield. However, he later told 21 News the event was “not sponsored by, organized by, or officially affiliated with any church, school, or government department.”

“I personally chose to plan and fund this event using my own resources as a way to serve the community and invite young people into the youth program. … The name “Touch Heaven Youth” was included on the flyer for transparency, so attendees understood the event was being led by a Christian youth leader and connected to a faith-based youth program, not because it was a church-run event,” Battaglini wrote in an email.