S.B. Toyota leads way with $1,200; Lions,
El Camino and No. Torrance each give $500
gifts; much food donations to pantry
The week before Thanksgiving and the 2014 Helping Hands holiday food drive for the needy is picking up steam. Thanks to a good week of donations, led by South Bay Toyota with $1,250, the holiday drive has reached nearly half of its goal of $22,500 for the year.
S.B. Toyota leads way with $1,200; Lions,
El Camino and No. Torrance each give $500
gifts; much food donations to pantry
The week before Thanksgiving and the 2014 Helping Hands holiday food drive for the needy is picking up steam. Thanks to a good week of donations, led by South Bay Toyota with $1,250, the holiday drive has reached nearly half of its goal of $22,500 for the year.
Following the gift from Toyota were two $500 donations each by two Lions service clubs. The El Camino Lions and the North Torrance Lions club annually give major donations, and this year was no exception.
Three $100 donations were each made by the Gardena Valley Friends of the Library, the Ladies Auxiliary to Gen. Rosecrans VFW Post 3261, and J.R. and Jessica.
Rounding up a very solid week of donations were The Haskell Family with $50, and Kim Nolan with $30. Total for the week was $2,630 and grand total, unofficially, for the year is $11,180.
Food donations to the City’s food pantry were made the following groups: Agape Faith Center/Living Word; Gasket Manufacturing Company; the Rowley Park Second Time Around Seniors Club; Dennis and Julie Schwietrman; the First Presbyterian Church Preschool; and MCHS Football Booster.
A word from director Evette Wedlow-Benjamin:
More than 2,360 individuals living in Gardena, many of them children and seniors will not be able to enjoy the holidays without the food, gifts and toys that many of us take for granted.
Helping Hands, which is a combined effort of the Elks Lodge 1919, Lions and many other service groups and churches in the City of Gardena, is now entering its 33rd year of community service, will make the holidays a bit more comfortable for those who are low income or unemployed.
You can assist with Helping Hands with food, new unwrapped toys or monetary donations by dropping them off or mailing them to:
Drop off or send donations to:
City of Gardena
Human Services Division
c/o Helping Hands
1651 W. 162nd Street, Gardena 9024
For more information, contact the Human Services Division at 310-217-9574.
For a great cause
Now in its 33rd year, Gardena’s holiday food drive will benefit more than 400 needy families in the community, and will serve more than 1,700 people with grocery vouchers and gifts for the kids.
Sponsored by the city of Gardena in cooperation with the Gardena Valley News, the holiday food drive began in 1981 as a food basket giveaway to Gardena’s less fortunate.
In recent years, food vouchers to area grocery stores have replaced food baskets, which provides families with a greater selection of food items, including dietary and ethnic items.
Every year, Helping Hands receives palettes of canned foods from various groups for the holiday.
The city of Gardena provides all staffing in the Hands drive and all monetary contributions go toward the holiday fund-raiser and the year-round food pantry. No money is used for administrative costs.
As in the past, the Gardena Valley News will publish a list of contributors, with a weekly update of new donors.
Week of Nov. 17
South Bay Toyota $1,250
El Camino Lions Club $500
North Torrance Lions Club $500
Gardena Valley Friends of the Library $100
J.R. and Jessica $100
Ladies Auxiliary to Gen. Rosecrans Post 3261 $100
The Haskell Family$50
Kim Nolan $30
(Unofficial total) $11,180
Week of Nov. 10
June Eicker $100
In Memory of Paul and Larry Greco $100
Edith and Kenneth Shimokochi $100
ER Thompson $100
Allan and Patricia Lange $50
(Unofficial total) $8,550
Week of Nov. 3
John and Elaine Nichelson $200
In Memory of Tom and Jan Gohata $200
Anonymous $200
Alton and LaVerne Knight $100
Sons of Italy & Elaine and Eleanor Bersano $100
Tom Parks $100
(Unofficial total) $8,100
Week of Oct. 27
Gardena Elks Lodge 1919 $4,000
Richard M. Kaya $2,000
Terry and Betty Kennedy $400
Loyce Holt $300
Hoodlums Club, Inc. $200
Evelyn B. Nall $200
Mas Fujita $100
Total $7,200
