How you can help children, needy families
Area food banks and social service agencies are collecting donations to help the needy through the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Here’s how you can help: SANTA CLARA COUNTY
NAMI Santa Clara County: offers practical experience, support, and education to anyone concerned about mental illnesses and their treatment in Santa Clara County. We work with public organizations, private businesses, and the media to increase knowledge of effective ways of treating the illnesses while advocating for research and improved services for individuals with mental illness. Our Warmline/Help Desk has trained and knowledgeable volunteers with lived experience who offer free and confidential information and support services to individuals, family, and friends who have been affected by mental illness. We are requesting donations for our annual Holiday Gift Drive (socks, scarves, gloves, hats, travel sized toiletries, decks of playing cards, pocket calendars, $5 gift cards for food and beverages), for gift bags which are delivered to over 600 people in need at local hospitals, self-help centers, churches and homeless shelters. Our office hours are Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.. Call us at 408-453-0400, option 1; or visit us at 1150 S. Bascom Ave., Suite 24, San Jose, CA 95128 (during office hours); or email us at info@namisantaclara.org.
SJB Child Development Centers:
provide services for low-income families in Santa Clara County who have children from newborn to 12-years-old, offering them free to low cost preschool or before and after school child care from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday. Our program also includes free breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks for children who attend our subsidized programs. We are dedicated to providing high-quality services for families to help their children succeed in school and life. We are seeking donations to purchase needed materials for the classroom such as age-appropriate children books, educational toys, and computers for the school age program. SJB Child Development Centers, 1400 Parkmoor Ave., San Jose, CA, 95126. 408-414-2700, extension X210, or visit sjbcdc.org.
Teen Challenge Holiday Gift
Drive: is seeking new clothing, new toys, hygiene products, cleaning products and food for the men, women, teens, and children in our program. Donations will be accepted at the Teen Challenge office, 390Matthew St., Santa Clara. 408-703-2001.
Unity Care’s Santa’s Helpers Donation Drive: uplifts 800 lonely, anxious and heartbroken foster children in our care. To ensure every youth has a gift to open, individuals and corporations can help by hosting a toy drive or holiday party. Donate unwrapped gifts for children ages 0-24 or $25 gift cards to Target or Walmart. Consider adopting and decorating one of 12 teen homes in San Jose, Los Gatos, Daly City, South San Francisco, or Foster City. (408) 971-9822. Donations can also be offered online at www.unitycare.org.
West Valley Community
Services: its mission is to unite the community to fight hunger and homelessness. This holiday season, we need your help. We need donations of nonperishable foods including meals-in-a-can (stew, chili, soup), tuna, canned meat, peanut butter, canned foods with pop-top lids, and gift cards. Donations may be dropped off at 10104 Vista Drive in Cupertino. Holiday volunteer and donation opportunities are also available. 408-956-6115, www. wvcommunityservices.org.