With a goal of $22,500 in monetary donations for the 2014 Helping Hands Holiday food and toy drive for the needy, the Thanksgiving Week proved bountiful. The South Bay F.O.R. Jr. Sports Association led all donors when they delivered a check for $1,090 to Hands coordinator Evette Wedlow-Benjamin.
James and Linda Hone gave a generous $500 to this year’s holiday program. First Southern Baptist Church on Marine donated $300, followed by $200 individual gifts from the Gardena Valley Lions Club, and Lutheran Oriental Church, Inc.
With a goal of $22,500 in monetary donations for the 2014 Helping Hands Holiday food and toy drive for the needy, the Thanksgiving Week proved bountiful. The South Bay F.O.R. Jr. Sports Association led all donors when they delivered a check for $1,090 to Hands coordinator Evette Wedlow-Benjamin.
James and Linda Hone gave a generous $500 to this year’s holiday program. First Southern Baptist Church on Marine donated $300, followed by $200 individual gifts from the Gardena Valley Lions Club, and Lutheran Oriental Church, Inc.
Last week, six separate $100 gifts were made by the Second Time Around Seniors, Richard and Virginia Castilla, Tommy and Miyoko Murakoshi, D. Watanabe, Donald Dear, and Glenn T. Shono.
Two $50 gifts were given, one from Charleta P. Williams, and the other from Frank and Lidia Onderka. Gail Kawato donated $30.
Besides the monetary gifts, a number of groups and individuals made food donations to the Hands fundraiser, and others to last week’s Thanksgiving holiday.
Kathy Kamio, Cub Scout Pack No. 203, B. Nakmacjo and the Day Spring Christian Center were big contributors of food. Pastor Oh, Sangkyu and Jesus Love Church of Southern California gave five large fruit baskets, and Pastor Ronderick D. Henry’s New Direction Community Church delivered 10 turkey baskets with all the trimmings.
The Human Services Department also acknowledged food donations from Boy Scout Troop 683, Tire Co. Inc., Distributing, LLC, Courtney’s School of Dance, and GameTime Elite Basketball Team.
Thanksgiving baskets were donated by the Kiwanis of Gardena Valley, and Bowman and Brooke LLP.
Remembering the children this holiday season, Nader’s LA Popular, and The Living Word General Assembly Church of the Firstborn of Jesus Christ donated toys
For the week, the Helping Hands Drive took in a spirited $3,020. As of Dec. 1, the season total is an unofficial $15,505.
Week of Nov. 24
The Gardena Management Employees Organization and the Italian Catholic Federation, St. Anthony of Padua, Branch No. 237 each gave $500 this week to the Helping Hands holiday meal driver for needy, coordinator Evette Wedlow-Benjamin said.
Gary H. Motoyama followed with a generous $200 check. Rounding out the list of donors this week were $50 from Iku Kiriyama, $25 from the St. Anthony Senior Group, $20 from Ken Feuer, a Rent Mediation Board member, and $10 from Rich Gomez.
The week’s total came to $1,305. That pushes the year’s total to an unofficial $12,485 for the week ending Nov. 24.
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,” Evette Wedlow-Benjamin, Helping Hands coordinator, said.
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 ending Dec. 1
The South Bay F.O.R. Jr. Sports Association $1,090
James and Linda Hone $500
First Southern Baptist Church $300
Gardena Valley Lions Club $200
Lutheran Oriental Church, Inc. $200
Richard and Virginia Castilla $100
Donald Dear $100
Tommy and Miyoko Murakoshi $100
Second Time Around Seniors $100
Glenn T. Shono $100
D. Watanabe $100
Frank and Lidia Onderka $50
Charleta P. Williams $50
Gail Kawato donated $30.
(unofficial total for the season) $15,505
Food donations
Kathy Kamio, Cub Scout Pack No. 203, B. Nakmacjo and the Day Spring Christian Center were big contributors of food. Pastor Oh, Sangkyu and Jesus Love Church of Southern California gave five large fruit baskets, and Pastor Ronderick D. Henry’s New Direction Community Church delivered 10 turkey baskets with all the trimmings.
The Human Services Department also acknowledged food donations from Boy Scout Troop 683, Tire Co. Inc., Distributing, LLC, Courtney’s School of Dance, and GameTime Elite Basketball Team.
Thanksgiving food
Kiwanis of Gardena Valley, and Bowman and Brooke LLP.
Toys
Nader’s LA Popular, and The Living Word General Assembly Church of the Firstborn of Jesus Christ.
Week ending Nov. 24
Gardena Management Employees Organization $500
The Italian Catholic Federation St. Anthony Padua Branch No. 237 $500
Gary H. Motoyama $200
Mrs. Iku Kiriyama $50
St. Anthony Senior Group $25
Ken Feuer – Rend Mediation Board member $20
Rich Gomez $10
(unofficial total for the season) $12,485
Week ending 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 for the season) $11,180
Week ending 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 for the season)$8,550
Week ending 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 for the season) $8,100
Week ending 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
Food Donations Nov. 27
Gardena Valley Baptist Church
156thStreet School
The Living Word General Assembly Church Of The First Born Of Jesus Christ
Shirley Tanaka
Carson Gardena Dominguez Rotary
Kathy Kamio
Cub Scouts Pack No. 203
B.Nakamacjo
First Christian Church
Brookwood Rool Goods
Food Donations Nov. 20
Food donations to the City’s food pantry were made the following groups:
Agape Faith Center/Living Word
Gasket Manufacturing Company
AThe Rowley Park Second Time Around Seniors Club
Dennis and Julie Schwietrman
The First Presbyterian Church Preschool
MCHS Football Booster
Previous weeks
Boy Scout Troop 948 of Torrance
