Helping Hands program nearing monetary goal

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HUSTLER CASINO + TOYS = HOLIDAY WINNER— The Hustler Casino in Gardena gives more than 100 toys annually to the Helping Hands holiday food and toy for the needy. From left are General Manager Daniel Sanbrotti, Shift Manager Patee McGuire, Kenneth Schoenhofen, facilities director (partially obscured), and Leonardo Pasquarelli, marketing manager. Photo by Gary Kohatsu

First Bank $424 leads monetary donations; Gardena Buddhist Church delivers $$, toys

 

 

Two weeks left in the Helping Hands season and the total monetary donation is with $4,500 of its goal of $22,500, coordinator Evette Wedlow-Benjamin reported.

First Bank led the way with a $424 donation, followed by Gardena Buddhist Church, which donated $265 in money, and added 249 toys to lead toy gifts for the week.

Gift cards for the week were given by one anonymous source ($100) and by the El Camino Lions ($30).

First Bank $424 leads monetary donations; Gardena Buddhist Church delivers $$, toys

 

 

Two weeks left in the Helping Hands season and the total monetary donation is with $4,500 of its goal of $22,500, coordinator Evette Wedlow-Benjamin reported.

First Bank led the way with a $424 donation, followed by Gardena Buddhist Church, which donated $265 in money, and added 249 toys to lead toy gifts for the week.

Gift cards for the week were given by one anonymous source ($100) and by the El Camino Lions ($30).

Benjamin said that the money donations for 2016 are $12,814.59 and in gift cards, $5,315.

Toy donations were abundant for the week. Besides the Buddhist Church donation of 249 toyts, others giving were the Gardena Sports Advisory Board with 165, Harbor Division Company 117, First Southern Baptist Church 105, Hustler Casino 87, Virginia Burgos 57, Honda 39, Mobile Mini 25, El Camino Lions 23, Gardena Police Department 19, Gasket Manufacturing 17, and First Gardena Presbyterian Church 1.

Since 1981, Helping Hands has brought the gift of Gardena’s care and concern – along with a bundle of holiday gifts – to families in Gardena.

You can assist with Helping Hands with food, new unwrapped toys or monetary donations by dropping them off or mailing them.

Benjamin added that money and toy donations can be made at the Human Services Department (see address below), or at the following Gardena locations: Nader’s La Popular Furniture, 2201 Marine Ave., (the corner of Marine and Van Ness Avenue); the U.S. Bank, 1260 W. Redondo Beach Blvd.; Chase Bank at 1735 W. Artesia Blvd.; Burnt Tortilla Mexican Restaurant, 1427 W. Redondo Beach Blvd.; and the Lucky Duck swim school at 2421 W. Marine Ave.

For a great cause

Now in its 35th 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 1980 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.

Last year, Helping Hands received 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. For more information about Helping Hands, call 310-217-9574.

Checks should be made to “Helping Hands” and can be sent or dropped off at:

City of Gardena

Human Services Department

c/o Helping Hands

1651 W. 162nd St., Gardena, CA 90247

Contact

To learn more about the event, please contact:

 

City of Gardena Recreation, Human Services, Parks and Facilities Department

Human Services Division

1651 West 162nd St.,

Gardena, CA 90247

Phone: 310-217-9574

E-mail: ebenjamin@ci.gardena.ca.us

CONTRIBUTORS for 2016

Dec. 19

First Bank  $424

Gardena Buddhist Church    $265

In Memory of Virginia Castillo         $100

The Randle Family      $100

D. Watanabe      $100

Anonymous         $100 (gift cards)

Terri Oneta Haase       $50

El Camino Lions  $30 (gift cards)

Total for Season        $18,129.59

TOYS

Gardena Buddhist Church    249

Gardena Sports Advisory Board    165

Harbor Distribution Company         117

First Southern Baptist Church       105

Hustler Casino    87

Virginia Burgos   57

Honda        39

Mobile Mini25

El Camino Lions  23

Gardena Police Department19

Gasket Manufacturing17

First Gardena Presbyterian Church 1

Total Toys for Season        1,729

Dec. 12

Gardena Valley Lions Club   $200

Hoodlum Club, Inc.       $200

Anonymous                  $116

Glenn T. Shono           $100

Henry Shimabuku        $100

Second Time Around Seniors Club                  $100

Frank and Lidia Onderka      $50

K. and O. Ota     $50

Gift Cards

Faith United Methodist Church      $65

Rent Mediation Board           $50

FOOD

Faith United Methodist Church      7 Boxes

Toys

Spark of Love 238

Undesignated     125

Nader’s LA Popular Furniture        36

Nader’s LA Popular Furniture        59

Rent Mediation Board           6

Anonymous         2

FOOD

Harbor Distributing LLC of Gardena dropped off food valued at $1,170 at the Human Services Department.

Nov. 25

Gardena Management Employee Organization        $500

In Memory of Norma Nall       $200

Donald Dear       $100

Hisashi Nakada   $25

* FOR Challengers G9 $50 gift card

* Micaela Bryant  5 bags of food and 2 toys

Unofficial total for Season     $11,210

 

Nov. 18

First Southern Baptist Church       $400

Sam’s Autoland   $200

Returning to the Lord Christian Church DOC  $150

Unofficial total for Season     $10,335

 

** Toys:   Nader’s LA Popular Furniture, 29 toys

 

Nov. 14

Gardena Community of Christ       $1,000

South Bay Toyota        $1,000

Terry and Betty Kennedy      $400

Loyce Holt Dravigne    $300

Nader’s LA POPULAR Furniture    $300

Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 3261    $250

Anna Garvin Steuwer   $150

Tommy and Miyoko Murakoshi      $100

Gardena Mission Chapel      $50

Anonymous         $35

The Haskell Family      $25

Unofficial total for Season         $9,585

 

** Toys:   Northrup Grumman Softball Club, 79 toys

 

Nov. 7

1.  Gardena Elks Lodge 1919        $4,000

Unofficial Totalfor Season        $6,975

 

  Oct. 31

1.  Gardena Community of Christ  $1,000

2.  El Camino Lions Club      $800

3.  In Memory of Tom and Jan Gohata    $200

4.  John and Elaine Nichelson        $200

5.  June M. Eicker        $150

6.  In Memory of parents, Richard and Cynthia Woods      $100

7.  Anonymous    $100

8.  Gardena Valley Affiliated Committee$100

9.  Mas Fujita      $100

10.  Lutheran Oriental Church       $100

11.  In Memory of Virginia Castilla  $75

12.  Sofia Pappathedorou     $50

Unofficial Totalfor Season        $2,975