Season of giving extends past new year
Christmas is over, but opportunities to “give back” continue.
Slow economic recovery in the new year means volunteer organizations that help the jobless, homeless and others in need will continue to seek volunteers and donations.
Economists have projected the economy will grow at a slow pace in 2010, with a slight increase in job growth that could keep the unemployment rate hovering at 10 percent nationwide. In Tulare County, that number is even higher —16.5 percent in November, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“With the economy the way that it is, we at Porterville Love INC have seen so many people across the board — those who have worked at state facilities, or others who have been laid off and the middle class that wouldn’t have come to us before— come to us for assistance,” director Elva Beltran said.
The recession, which is the worst since the Great Depression, impacted charitable organizations this season, like the U.S. Marine Reserve program Toys for Tots which had lower than usual number of donations, and the Salvation Army’s Bell Ringer program, which had difficulty recruiting volunteers.
But the local chapter of Love In the Name of Christ (Love INC) — a national Christian organization that helps the poor by providing food, clothing, life skills and transitional housing— is gearing up for some evergreen holiday spirit.
The aftermath of Christmas has left much general clerical work to be done in the office, such as packing and creating an inventory of the little amounts of gifts that will be left over from Toys for Tots, according to Grace Muñoz-Rios, the organizer of Porterville’s Toys for Tots drive.
“When we have a blitz of people coming in, we get so caught up, but there’s still filing to do,” she said.
She also noted the continuation of two of Love INC’s collection drives, one geared towards gathering food called
“Fill the Trolley,” and another one aimed at accumulating school supplies called “Fill the School Bus.” Volunteers and donations are needed to make both happen.
The projects got their starts in 2009 as a way to go “above and beyond” the organization’s typical flow of charity work. In 2010, “if we start sooner, we may be able to help more people,” Muñoz-Rios said.
Beltran also noted the Care Enough to Share program, a cash contribution campaign which benefits, Love INC, Comisión Honorifica Mexicana-Americana, Helping Hands, Toys for Tots, Central California Family Crisis Center, Salvation Army and El Granito Foundation.
In November, an anonymous donor contributed $10,000 and challenged the community to match the amount.
In order for that to happen, an additional approximately $5,000 is needed.
For more information about volunteering with Love INC, or other affiliated organizations, contact 781-2645
-- Contact Jenna Chandler at 784-5000, Ext. 1050, or jchandler@portervillerecorder.com.
