The Spirit of the Season

Several Local Entities Are Accepting Holiday-Time Donations

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

For community members who are looking for a way to give back during the holiday season, there is no shortage of local entities accepting donations this time of year and beyond.

Gelson’s kicked off its annual toy drive on December 1, which benefits “disadvantaged children throughout the region” by partnering with several organizations, including Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, Toys for Tots, Promises 2 Kids, Miracles for Kids and Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital, Long Beach.

A toy container will be placed at the Pacific Palisades store to collect donations through December 19. Customers are able to request a list of suggested donations from the store’s front desk or by visiting gelsons.com.

“It has long been a priority for us to make the holiday season brighter for children and families in need across Southern California,” Gelson’s President and CEO Rob McDougall said in a statement. “We have a history of customer service extending beyond our stores and into the community. This is our 70th year in business and we look forward to continuing to work with our nonprofit partners.”

Following a two-week drive that wrapped December 15, State Senator Ben Allen, who represents Pacific Palisades, is hosting a final drive-through donation day in partnership with organizations like Momentum Pediatric Therapy Network, Los Angeles LGBT Center and Community’s Child on Thursday, December 16.

Donations will be accepted at Santa Monica High School at Olympic Gate (600 Olympic Blvd.) between 5 and 7 p.m.

“Join me in donating toiletries, new clothes and toys, come voice your opinions on state or local issues, and get a digital souvenir holiday photo with me,” Allen shared ahead of the event. “To ramp up the holiday spirit, we invite you to decorate your vehicle for the photo with our holiday helpers.”

PaliCares at Palisades Charter High School is accepting donations—during the holiday season and all year round. The organization, founded in 2016 by school librarian Andrea King, two parents and a school counselor, has a goal to support “students’ most basic needs so they can focus on learning and participating” in the school’s community.

Among the items the organization works to provide are food, personal care and school supplies, including backpacks. King, who serves as the program’s coordinator, shared that she is currently seeking the common items that are needed and given away: hoodies of all sizes, granola bars, snacks, tampons and deodorant.

PaliCares also gives gift cards to places like Ralphs or Target to students who are heading into breaks—like a three-day weekend or winter break—where they will need access to food outside of campus.

King estimated that PaliCares supports more than 100 kids each year with supplies. She shared that she has had “amazing outreach” and that she is “just so touched” after PaliCares was featured in a social media post that generated positive feedback and donations from community members, including holiday bags from one parent.

Though the group falls under the umbrella of the PCHS Booster Club, it runs solely on donations and grants. Everything that is raised and received goes back to the students.

Donations are accepted at the Pali High Library or Main Office. For more information, email palicares@palihigh.org.

One drive that recently took place in Pacific Palisades was hosted by Marc Chorin, Rodeo Realty branch manager, who partnered with Los Angeles Fire Department Station 69 to collect items for Toys for Tots on Saturday, December 4.

Chorin shared that 11 firefighters and one captain from Station 69 were on hand to help, as well as seven Pali High Ambassadors and six Rodeo Realty agents. The group was able to collect approximately 150 gifts, filling two large boxes with games, action figure toys, cars, blocks and more.

“It is the right time of the year to help communities in need with toys for kids,” Chorin shared about selecting to work with Toys for Tots.

The drive marked the first toy collection day Chorin has hosted in the Palisades.