This is a regular feature on philanthropic activities by Valley-area business people and companies. Wood Ranch BBQ, an Agoura Hills-based restaurant chain, is celebrating its 20th anniversary by contributing a portion of its guests’ checks to national nonprofit organization, Share Our Strength. The company, which owns and operates 14 restaurants in Southern California, will be contributing to Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign, a national movement committed to ending childhood hunger in America by 2015. The same certificate will be used to enter a drawing for the weekly $50 gift card prize. The program began on May 7. Guests will be able to download and print a certificate from the company’s Facebook page, which can then be taken to any Wood Ranch location. A percentage of the guest’s check will then be donated to No Kid Hungry. “We’ve always contributed to good causes in the communities we serve,” explained co-founder Ofer Shemtov, who is the father of three. “We’ve now expanded that effort so that we can help focus some attention on a vitally important issue that affects all of us.” Valley Food Bank Snags Support Pacoima-based Valley Food Bank, an outreach of the Rescue Mission Alliance, was recently granted $17,500 from Ralphs/Food 4 Less markets in support of its “Fighting Against Hunger-Feeding Hope” program. Customers of the two grocery chains contributed through a “Hunger” canister campaign held at each location in the Los Angeles region. The donation will help fund operational costs related to food collecting, processing and storage for the Valley Food Bank. The program distributed more than two million pounds of food through its partnering pantries and distribution network last year. “The Valley Food Bank would not be able to offer the services we do and to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve without the financial, in-kind, and volunteer support of community partners like Ralphs/Food 4 Less,” said Will Hernandez, director of the Valley Food Bank. Aerospace Academy Hosts Food Drive Last month, a food drive for the South Antelope Valley Emergency Services (SAVES) was held at the new Palmdale Aerospace Academy campus. The food drive was held in conjunction with the campus’s clean-up effort, which drew more than 400 volunteers in preparation of the academy’s August 2012 opening. People were encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to the campus. The collection was part of SAVES “50,000 Pounds@50” campaign in celebration of the City of Palmdale’s 50th birthday. “This partnership of local agencies, faith-based organizations, schools and the community in general is one of the great strengths of Palmdale,” said Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford. “So much good is accomplished through collaborations such as this one.” Applebee’s Honors Nation’s Military In celebration of Military Appreciation Month, Applebee’s, a restaurant brand owned by Glendale-based DineEquity Inc., delivered 101,000 thank you cards to the nation’s military. Team members and guests at nearly 1,900 of the chain’s domestic locations personalized the cards, which were hand-delivered to veterans at the headquarters of its nonprofit partner Disabled American Veterans (DAV) in Cold Spring, Ky. For more than 90 years, DAV has been committed to the support of veterans and their families through various programs, services and publications. The card delivery program is part of Applebee’s Thank You Movement, an ongoing initiative which has collected more than 2.6 million thank you texts, posts and videos. The messages can be viewed on the program’s website. “We are proud to provide 101,000 examples of how Applebee’s and its guests feel about the men and women of our military,” said Mike Scanlon, chief executive officer of Thomas & King, which operates 88 Applebee’s in five states. “Just as we benefit from our nation’s military every day, we want our veterans and troops to feel appreciated every day. The Applebee’s Thank You Movement makes that happen.” Local Accountant Joins Make-A-Wish Board Nicole Douglas, partner with Newbury Park accounting firm Hinricher and Crasnick LLP has been named to the board of directors for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Tri-Counties. Part of the national organization of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the regional organization serves the San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, granting the wishes of children with life threatening medical conditions. Douglas’s specialty in financial audits of nonprofit organizations and business tax returns will help in her work with the organization, company officials said.
