Westside Family Health Center’s employee-driven food and clothing drive, Heart2Heart, is currently in full swing.
Heart2Heart began when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck and WFHC team members wanted to do something to help Gulf Coast area residents.
Now, every year Westside Family Health Center (WFHC) selects two worthy community partners in need of food and clothing donations for their clients. This year, Heart2Heart will benefit St. Joseph Center Food Pantry and Safe Place for Youth (S.P.Y).
WFHC has already collected and distributed more than 350 pounds of food and 44 bags of clothes to St. Joseph Center and S.P.Y., respectively, since the drive began in late November.
Alison Hurst, Executive Director and Founder of S.P.Y., said, “The clothing donation could not have come at a better time. Last night our young people arrived wet and tired but left warm and dry in their new clothing. Thank you so much for choosing to support S.P.Y.”
According to Va Lecia Adams Kellum, Ph.D., Executive Director of St. Joseph Center, the need is great:
“St. Joseph Center is seeing greater demand than ever for help during the holidays. We set a record at Thanksgiving by distributing nearly 800 turkeys, and more people are signed up for our Adopt-A-Family effort than in any past year. We’re thankful for the Westside Family Health Center’s Heart2Heart Campaign because it is helping us meet this incredible demand.”
Debra A. Farmer, WFHC’s President/Chief Executive Officer said, “To quote a well-used phrase: ‘Heart2Heart is a gift that just keeps giving,’ ” noting in years past donations have included books, office supplies and toiletries.
St. Joseph Center provides working poor families, as well as homeless men, women and children with the inner resources and tools to become productive, stable and self-supporting members of the community.
Food items needed include juice, canned meats and soups, canned fruit and vegetables, peanut butter, pasta, beans and rice.
Safe Place for Youth inspires, nurtures, and empowers homeless youth by providing street outreach, a drop-in center, and case management. Clothing items needed include adult-size gently used or new jackets, jeans, t-shirts, sweatshirts, new socks and new underwear.
The drive runs until January 20, 2014. Help meet Their goal of donating 500 pounds of food and 75 bags of clothing! Donations can be brought to Westside Family Health Center’s main waiting room at 1705 Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica during normal business hours.
For more information, contact Molly Maher at 310.450.4773, ext. 253 or mmaher@wfhcenter.org.
