This is a regular feature on philanthropic activities by Valley-area businesspeople and companies. The Child Care Resource Center is holding a book and toy drive for local children until Dec. 23, the Chatsworth-based organization announced. The group is asking for individuals and businesses to donate children’s books and unwrapped gifts for children ages 13 and under. Donor can shop using CCRC’s Wish List, which is posted online on Amazon.com. Cash donations are also accepted. The group also recently achieved its goal of collecting and distributing 100,000 children’s books in 2010 to children in Los Angeles County through its “What a Difference a Book Makes” literacy campaign. Some local companies that have supported the collection effort include Walt Disney, Medtronic and Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt. The Chatsworth/Porter Ranch Chamber of Commerce also helped. Holiday Party for Child Burn Patients The Sherman Oaks-based Children’s Burn Foundation and the Grossman Burn Center co-hosted a party for child burn survivors and their families, the foundation announced. The party was held at the Los Angeles Fire Department’s Fire Station 84 in West Hills, which donated the space for the event. The Pasadena Fire Department also contributed. About 300 children and teenagers who have received treatment and other services through the foundation’s support attended the event. They were provided with gifts, games, music, visits with Santa and the opportunity to climb aboard a fire truck. Local Dentists Collect Toys Two local dentists are collecting toys and funds for children for the holidays. Toys can be dropped off until Dec. 22 at Natural White Smile, the Northridge office of Dr. David Shannon. The office is located at 18915 Nordhoff St., Suite 1. They can also be dropped off at Dr. Kamran Sahabi’s two offices up until the same date. The offices are located at 10400 Magnolia Blvd. in North Hollywood and at 609 S. Glendale Ave. in Glendale. Both dentists are accepting toys and cash donations during office hours. The dentists are also offering deals for those who donate cash. Shannon is offering free X-ray exams and two regular cleanings for those who give $57, which is enough to help 10 children receive Christmas gifts. Sahabi is offering the same incentives for $49 donations. Stores Serve as Donation Stop Three local grocery stores served as drop-off locations for a one-day community food drive hosted by AARP and MEND—Meet Each Need with Dignity, the organizations announced. The holiday season food drive, held on Dec. 11 as part of AARP’s “Create the Good Hunger Campaign,” collected canned goods to benefit MEND’s Food Bank. The grocery stores participating in the drive included the Vons store on Devonshire Street in Chatsworth, the Albertsons store on Devonshire Street in Northridge and the Albertsons store on San Fernando Mission Boulevard in Granada Hills. “We are really grateful that they are willing to do that,” said Marianne Haver Hill, MEND’s CEO. “The number of applicants to MEND’s emergency food program has grown by over 45 percent last year, so hunger is definitely and issue for those that are out of work, have lost their homes and are really struggling to make ends meet.” Stroller Strides Moms Donate Stroller Strides donated toys to the ABC7’s Stuff-A-Bus toy drive event and held a benefit class for moms who contributed, announced the Woodland Hills fitness franchise that provides workout sessions for mothers with babies. The Stuff-A-Bus event was part of the news network’s larger “Spark of Love Toy Drive” campaign. Stroller Stride moms stuffed the bus on Dec. 10 before participating in their free class at Gateway Plaza at the corner of Topanga Canyon and Ventura boulevards. The classes are normally held at Warner Center Park. Leeron Dvir, owner of Stroller Strides in Woodland Hills, said participating in the event not only gave moms the benefits of an hour-long fitness program, but it allowed them to feel good about giving. Kaiser Grants Scholarships Locally Los Angeles Valley College and Glendale Community College were among 26 schools in Southern California to receive scholarships for nursing students from Kaiser Permanente’s Delores Jones, RN Scholarship program, Kaiser announced. The health care system awarded 100 scholarships totaling $179,500 in the Southern California region through the program. It also awarded scholarships in Northern California. The scholarships of $1,000 to $2,500 each are based primarily on financial need. They offered in three categories: Academic Excellence Pre-licensure, Graduate/Doctoral Studies, and Underrepresented Groups in Nursing. Spa Donates to Hospital Massage Envy Spa of Glendale recently donated $1,500 to Glendale Adventist Medical Center after raising funds through the Army of Pink breast cancer awareness campaign that the hospital hosted. The spa gave each customer who showed proof of voting in the campaign $10 off a massage or facial and donated an additional $10 to Glendale Adventist Medical Center Cancer Services. The business additionally sold pins for donations of $10 each. The Glendale Police Department also recently donated $5,000, which it also raised through the awareness campaign. -Compiled by Jessica Vernabe
Child Care Center Seeking Donations of Books, Gifts
