The Simi Valley Community rallied in support of Food Share, Ventura County’s largest regional food bank serving 55,000 each month, and contributed more than $11,000 to its efforts. Glen Becerra, Simi Valley Council Member and Chief of Staff for the local Public Affairs Division of Southern California Edison (SCE) presented a $10,000 grant from SCE to Bonnie Weigel, Food Share CEO and president Dec. 9. The Channel Islands 4×4 Club and Chuy’s Simi Valley West teamed up to host a fundraising event on Dec. 12 and raised a total of $963. A weeklong canned food drive at Simi Valley’s Royal High School delivered 7,620 lbs. of food to FOOD Share’s warehouse in Oxnard on Dec. 17. “We are very grateful to the community of Simi Valley for the generous donations and ongoing commitment,” said Weigel, CEO of FOOD Share. “All of the donations received will go a long way towards feeding Ventura’s County’s hungry.” For every $1 FOOD Share receives, the nonprofit food bank can purchase over $7 of food and distribute items to 150 partner agencies and food pantries throughout Ventura County. Retail Sales Help Local Schools A holiday gift program in which customers could request five percent of their purchase totals at The Grove and The Americana at Brand to go to a designated school raised $100,000. Over 270 schools in Los Angeles and Ventura counties will receive contributions in January as a result. After making a purchase from any of the numerous stores and restaurants at The Grove and The Americana at Brand, customers simply brought their receipt to the concierge desk and let them know which school they were supporting. Five percent of their total purchase was then donated to the school of choice courtesy of The Grove and The Americana at Brand. Most elementary, secondary and tertiary schools within Los Angeles County and Ventura County qualified. “We’re thrilled with the success of the program. It allowed us to support our local schools during a tough economic time,” says Rick Caruso, CEO of Caruso Affiliated. The program also generated $2 million in sales at the two centers, contributing to exceptional holiday results for The Americana at Brand and The Grove. Bake-Off Fundraiser A head-to-head competition will pit owner vs. chef, in a quest to create California’s best Girl Scout Cookie Dessert this January. Liz Beddow, owner of both Fiamme Restaurant & Bar and The Melting Pot Thousand Oaks, will take on Fiamme’s Executive Chef Bob Barber in the Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast Cookie Bake-off and Auction at California Lutheran University January 16th. Each chef selected one Girl Scout cookie in a random drawing held December 13th and is required to create two batches of one unique dessert. One batch will be tasted and judged as part of the competition and the other will be auctioned as part of a fundraiser for the Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast. The Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast Cookie Bake-off is supported through Fiamme’s “Fire Up the Community!” a program that aids non-profit organizations with their fundraising efforts. To date, the popular restaurant and music venue has helped raise needed funds for local groups including the Agoura High School Charger Club, the Boys & Girls Club of Ventura, the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall, the Lilly of the Valley AIDS Organization Mission (Love Fest), the Thousand Oaks Philharmonic, The United Way, and FOODShare among others. Local Organizations Get a Boost The San Fernando Valley Employer Advisory Council, which provides workshops and seminars to keep local employers up-to-date on current issues, trends and legislation, awarded $6,500 to local organizations. The Valley Economic Alliance, a community development organization dedicated to retaining, expanding and recruiting good businesses and quality jobs to the San Fernando Valley was awarded $2,000. Center for Living and Learning, a Van Nuys nonprofit that provides employment services and computer training to disadvantaged individuals received $1,500. Three scholarships of $,1000 each were awarded to the California State University Northridge Foundation. Pathpoint, which provides comprehensive training and support services to individuals with disabilities, received a $1,000 donation and the West Valley Occupational Center received a $500 scholarship. Hospitalized Children Receive Toys Employees of Bowers Ambulance, a company that contracts with Providence Health & Services and provides a pediatric transport specially designed for children and infants who are patients at Providence Tarzana, delivered by ambulance toys to children hospitalized during the holiday season at the pediatrics unit at Providence Tarzana Medical Center Dec. 22. Employees held a toy drive and wanted to share their collection with sick children facing a tough time away from home during the holiday season. – Andrea Alegria