At the Heart of Helping January Update

At the Heart of Helping - January 2021

In This Issue:

Letter from the President/CEO | Grant Announcement

Connect Applications Open | Heart to Heart Hunt Tickets

Hahn Partnership Feeds Families | Food For Kids Donations

Thank You To Our Donors

Letter from the President/CEO
...At the Heart of Exciting News!

New year, new partnerships, new ideas, new... NEWS!

It may be pouring rain this week, but inside the Volunteer Center, the energy is magical! We are still abuzz with bustling activity and excitement thanks to all of you!

After an incredibly frenetic and heart-warming holiday season helping so many families, we are ready to keep the momentum and positive energy rolling- and it appears you are too! Several of you have reached out looking for more ways to spread hope, kindness and love to those who need it most this year, and we just LOVE THAT!

Read on to learn some of the immediate ways that you can engage with our organization to help others and let's make it a year of hope, helping, and happiness despite all the other challenges!

Thank you for being "at the heart of helping!"

Sara Myers
President/CEO

Volunteer Center Receives $100,000 Grant
...At the Heart of Continued Covid-Relief

We are THRILLED to announce our most recent partnership

with the Larry and Helen Hoag Foundation!

The purpose of the Foundation is to protect and empower children through the areas of education, health & well-being and opportunity. Their board has granted us $100K from their LA COVID relief fund to ensure that we can continue to help provide families affected by the pandemic with healthy meals, educational materials and teen mental wellness services.

We are so grateful for this support during this incredibly difficult time. These funds have allowed us to now open two additional Connect programs this semester for struggling youth, expand our Food For Kids program to include more families in Long Beach, and add additional nonprofit sites.

Calling All Teens- Apply for Connect by Feb. 15
...At the Heart of Much Needed Stress Relief and Self Care

This pandemic and forced distance learning have been extremely difficult for many teens, and they have been more vocal about needing more resources and services.

Our second round of Connect is open to all middle school and high school students in the South Bay, Harbor and Long beach areas. This helpful and affordable program will held over five weeks, led by Macy Grim MS LPCC a specialist in play and adventure therapy will help teens gain:

Relaxation and grounding techniques
More empathy and resilience
Improved confidence and self-esteem
Healthy coping skills
Practice with personal boundaries

Teens have until February 15 to fill out a quick online application:

Reserve Your Team Now!
...At the Heart of Family-Friendly Fun

Tickets are now on sale for our highly- anticipated Heart to Heart Scavenger Hunt which will be held on March 20.

This virtual event is perfect for all ages and promises lots of fun and laughter as teams work together to complete missions, and compete for a coveted spot at the top of the leaderboard!

Each team registration is $25 (100% tax deductible) and we recommend 2-5 players per team. Proceeds will go to help continue our programs and serve families in need.

Special thank you to our early confirmed sponsors: Port of Long Beach and Congressmen Ted Lieu and Torrance Unified School Board President Betty Lieu.

Sponsorships are still available, contact sara@volcenter.org for details.

Partnership with Janice Hahn Helps Feed Families
...At the Heart of Taking Care of Each Other During Tough Times

Struggling South Bay families have now received $40 gift cards to eat at locally-owned restaurants, thanks to an innovative and generous grant partnership with Supervisor Janice Hahn's office. Earlier this month, the Volunteer Center helped distribute $50,000 in funds to fifteen local restaurant owners hit by the challenges of the Covid-19 restrictions. The restaurant staff members were happy to participate in the mutually beneficial program which will give low-income families the rare treat of dining out during this challenging time.

Grateful For Our Donors
...At the Heart of Continued Giving

We are so thankful for the donors that kept the donations flowing even after the holiday rush:

- Carson Lion's Club & National Association of University Women continue their generous donations, bringing in over 400 lbs of food this month!

- Sandpipers continue their support this year by their weekly donations totaling 71 lbs this month.

- Pantry packers Sue and Judy Golden delivered 179 lbs of much needed canned meals from JoAnn Frisch

- Vinika Chaudhari and her children donated 73.5 lbs of food

We are currently continuing to accept food donations by appointment only to ensure everyone's safety.

Click here to learn about our temporary donation procedures, download our non-perishable food Shopping List, find a link to our Amazon Wish List to have donations shipped directly to us, and more!

Please also consider a Financial Gift to help us manage the program.

THANK YOU TO OUR MAJOR

CORPORATE & FOUNDATION GRANTORS:

(Gifts Made in Support of July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021 Programs)

The Volunteer Center South Bay-Harbor-Long Beach

(310) 212-5009 | www.volcenter.org

Recognizing the value of empathy and service to others, the Volunteer Center has been "at the heart of helping" for more than 55 years. Our mission is to increase social and emotional wellness in youth and families in our community and we measure this impact through a rise in empathy and resilience for those we serve. To learn more about our programs and history, visit www.volcenter.org.