AV Transit Authority gives away more than 3,000 toys
LANCASTER — The Antelope Valley Transit Authority Drive-Thru Grocery Giveaway was a success as volunteers distributed more than 3,000 toys including 37 bikes, groceries and gift cards.
The AVTA held the charity event on Sunday afternoon at its headquarters on 6th Street West in Lancaster, where an estimated 1,800 vehicles passed through the line. Volunteers distributed approximately 2,800 turkeys to attendees and participating charities.
Groceries, turkeys and hams were distributed by volunteers from Antelope Valley Transit Authority, the City of Lancaster, A.V. Chevrolet, Teamsters Local 848, Antelope Valley Sheriff’s Boosters and Grace Chapel. Volunteers included Lancaster Vice Mayor and AVTA Board Chairman Marvin Crist, Councilman and AVTA Board Member Raj Malhi and Councilman Ken Mann. Lancaster City Manager Jason Caudle and AVTA Director Michelle Flanagan also participated.
Also on hand and sharing in the work, were AVTA CEO Macy Neshati, AVTA COO Martin Tompkins and AVTA CFO Judy Vaccaro-Fry, along with dozens of AVTA and Transdev staff.
The AVTA, City of Lancaster, A.V. Chevrolet, Teamsters Local 848, Antelope Valley Sheriff’s Boosters, Waste Management, Lancaster Toyota, IBEW, Vallarta Supermarkets, One Love Food Ministry, Sygma, Sysco, BYD Motors, and U.S. Foods and City of Palmdale sponsored the Drive Thru Grocery Giveaway.
The Lancaster City Council and the AVTA Board of Directors distributed $20 restaurant gift cards supplied by the City of Lancaster.
Toys were distributed by volunteers from BYD, AVTA, Grace Resources, The Marco and Sandra Johnson Foundation, South Antelope Valley Emergency Services of Palmdale (SAVES) along with City of Palmdale Mayor Steve Hofbauer and Palmdale City Councilman Austin Bishop, Antelope Valley Partners for Health and the Child and Family Guidance Center.
Toys were supplied by this year’s AVTA Stuff-a-Bus collection efforts and the sponsorship of Crazy Otto’s Diner, Duke Engineering, BYD Motors, Transdev, New Flyer/MCI, High Desert Medical Group, OpSec Security, Granite Construction, Vehicle Technical Consultants Avail Technologies, Complete Coach Works, Kaiser Permanente, The McKeon Group, Mission Bank, Palmdale Elementary Teachers Association, AVEDGE, and The Weideman Group.