The holidays – and year-end tax benefits – encourage a spirit of giving.

By Mary O’KEEFE

Although many donate throughout the year to those in need and to non-profit organizations, the holidays highlight the power of giving.

There are so many ways to give over the holidays; below are just a few of the local organizations happy to accept donations: (Note – Unless noted, toys requested must be unwrapped and new. The food requested must be non-perishable items.)
Tierra Del Sol
Local resident Grace Chase continues her family’s tradition, which is now in its 43rd year, of hosting a Christmas party for residents of Tierra Del Sol. The annual celebration was put on hold due to the pandemic but returns this year. The party will be held on Sunday, Dec. 4 at noon at Healy Hall at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 2411 Montrose Ave. Guests are exceptionally disabled men and women who range in age from 25 to 70.
According to Chase, the goal is to provide them a wonderful afternoon serving lunch and playing games. The party ends with a visit from Santa.
Chase is hoping that people will open their hearts and give a new wrapped gift for one of the guests. It could be anything appropriate for a man or a woman but needs to be new. Once wrapped, it should be labeled and dropped off to Chase at her home at 2169 Crescent Ave. in Montrose. For more information, email chasermama@aol.com.

Glendale Police Department

The Glendale Police Officers’ Association (GPOA) Cops for Kids program has been reaching out to families in need for over three decades. The program started with six families being helped because that was all the funding the GPOA had for the program. Over the years it has grown and so far this year will be helping 28 families.

Amy Tate is the coordinator for the toy/food drive. She reaches out to local elementary schools and works with staff to find families in need of support. Some are referred by officers and detectives who have met with families during the course of investigations, Tate said. The GPOA is now accepting toy and food items as well as cash donations.

Tate added what is really needed is gifts for older teen/preteen kids.

“Gift cards to fast food [restaurants], Starbucks and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf,” she suggested as well as other gift cards like to Amazon and Target. There have been some people who have donated cash, which allows Tate and her army of shoppers to get the specific things the kids ask for.

Throughout the year the GPOA holds fundraisers to raise money for Cops for Kids, including golf and poker tournaments. Tate also reaches out to sponsors who have helped in the past and she is always looking for more to help.

Tate and her staff of volunteers talk to the families to find not only what they need but also what the children want from Santa.

This program is designed as a very personal outreach and Tate works on this project yearlong. She is familiar with the history of the families and how the children have changed over the years.

There are times when GPOA funds are limited but, more often than not, the volunteers, including police officers, dig deep into their own pockets so one more gift can be bought that will make the toy delivery just a little more special.

Of course if there are going to be presents they will need to be placed under a tree so the GPOA makes sure every family they bring gifts to has a Christmas tree, which they deliver a week prior to dropping off the gifts.

Members of the Kiwanis Club of Glendale and Rotary Club of Glendale Noon and Glendale Sunrise Rotary Club help with the shopping and delivery.

For those who would like to help, donations can be dropped off at the GPD main station at 131 N. Isabel St. in Glendale. They can also be dropped at the CVW office, 3800 La Crescenta Ave., Ste. 206 during regular office hours. For those who would like to donate cash, send a check made out to GPOA and mail to GPD, Attn: Amy Tate, 131 N. Isabel St., Glendale, 91206.

The GPOA will deliver the gifts on Dec. 15 but takes donations through the Epiphany on Jan. 6, 2023.

California Highway Patrol and ChiPs for Kids

CHP and CHiPs for Kids have been bringing holiday toys to children for over 15 years.

Bins for donations of toys have already been placed at Walgreens throughout the CHP Altadena service area (which includes Altadena, Pasadena, Glendale, La Crescenta and Burbank). 

The bins are decorated with CHP and CHiPs posters and toys are picked up every week by officers or CHP volunteers. The toys are brought back to the CHP Altadena station, sorted and then will be distributed to non-profits in the area that have made donation requests to CHP, said Officer Jonathan Boyd.

They plan to distribute toys on Dec. 20 and Dec. 21. There is another way to donate to CHiPs for Kids: making a cash donation.

“Text ‘toys’ to 76278. [Donors] will be taken to a link and can just follow the prompts to donate,” Boyd said.

Each station holds its own CHiPs toy drive and the toys donated are distributed to families who live within the station’s service area.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept. – Crescenta Valley Station

Those at the CV Sheriff’s Station are once again gathering food and toys for those who need a little help over the holidays. The familiar donation barrels are being placed throughout the area including at the station at 4554 Briggs Ave. Toys and non-perishable food items that have been donated will be gathered and given to families at a holiday celebration at Crescenta Valley Park. For more information, contact Sgt. Taylor (818) 248-3464.

ABC7 Spark of Love

Spark of Love is a donation program in which fire departments throughout Southern California take part. Agencies from Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Ventura and Riverside counties participate in Spark of Love, as does the Glendale Fire Dept. Donations include toys, sports equipment and video games that are given to kids and teenagers up to 18 years old. After being collected, all of the donations are distributed throughout the originating communities with the hope that everyone in the community can enjoy a happy holiday season.

As is its tradition, the Crescenta Valley Armenian Community Center and Youth Federation (AYF) have been accepting toy donations. On Dec. 16, the AYF Junior Chapter will walk from the Center to Glendale Fire Station 29 to add their Spark of Love donations.

Anyone who would like to donate can drop the toys off at any fire station.

Toys for Tots

American Legion Post 377 of Sunland-Tujunga is participating in Toys for Tots. Those who would like to donate toys can bring their donations to the Post before Dec. 11. Post 377 is located at 10039 Pinewood Ave. in Tujunga. For more information, call (818) 353-9856 or visit www.LegionPost377.org.