Community: Salvation Army searching for community angels

The best part of the holidays is giving, and the Salvation Army, Burbank Corps, has several opportunities to make local children’s spirits brighter this Christmas season.

Volunteers are needed to take shifts for the Salvation Army’s “Angel Tree” project.

Chair Elaine Paonessa is recruiting adults and teens to sit with the Angel Tree at the Burbank Town Center on the third floor near the Burlington Coat Factory store.

Customers select an Angel Tree card with specific information on a child and what is on his or her wish list. The customer purchases an item and returns it with the card to the Angel Tree location. The Salvation Army then distributes the gift to the child’s family just before Christmas.

Volunteers are needed to give a minimum of two-hour shifts between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. from Nov. 28 through Dec. 23. To participate, call Paonessa at (818) 845-6851.

“I have a lot of women and couples that have given hours to this project in the past, and they come back every year, but there is always room for more volunteers,” Paonessa said.

This project is also an opportunity for local students looking for ways to receive community service hours.

“The Burbank High School Key Club members are regularly involved with the project, and they receive community service hours,” she said.

Local businesses, such as Thorburn Chiropractic, place Angel Tree cards on their office holiday trees each year, Paonessa said, and clients purchase gifts and return them to the business. Salvation Army volunteers pick up the donations.

The Salvation Army helps hundreds of children and their families have a happier Christmas by collecting food, clothing and toys. For more information about Salvation Army programs, call (818) 845-7214.

Another holiday program of the Salvation Army is the Bike Angels, which provides new or refurbished bicycles to underprivileged children each year. Last year, 150 bikes were given to local children, Paonessa said.

“Under the leadership of Elaine Pease, many city employees, families and friends have spent endless hours refurbishing the used bicycles and assembling the new ones,” Paonessa said. Along with the bicycles, youngsters receive helmets.

To donate bicycles that are new or that need to be refurbished, call Pease at (818) 238-5286.

Edison students donate survival kits to aid center

Toluca Rivers’ combination second- and third-grade class at Edison Elementary was recently inspired to take on a community project after studying how to collaborate with government.

Students decided to identify a problem in the community and brainstorm possible solutions, Rivers said. They came up with an idea to help the homeless situation and created 25 survival kits to donate to Burbank Temporary Aid Center, known as BTAC.

Rivers reached out to Barbara Howell, BTAC’s chief executive, who made suggestions about what items they could use. The students filled small bags with toothbrushes and paste, combs, lip balms, socks, hats, hair brushes, hair bands and writing pens.

“The students started doing chores around their houses, and they raised about $150,” said Rivers, who is a former Edison student. “I took that money and shopped for things at the Dollar King on Burbank Boulevard.”

Many of the students and their parents recently met at BTAC to present the survival kits.

Mayor Jess Talamantes joined the class and presented a survival kit as well.

“I was honored to have been included in this project conducted by Ms. Rivers’ class at Edison Elementary, which happens to be my alma mater,” Talamantes said.

The most important thing to come out of this project, Howell said, is that the people who will be receiving the kits will feel valued. People living on the streets are mostly ignored, and the homeless realize that. The hygiene items will allow the recipients to improve their physical appearance and that will help build their self-esteem.

“And maybe that will be the thing that helps them decide they will work with our case manager to find a job,” Howell said.

--

JOYCE RUDOLPH can be reached at rudolphjoyce10@gmail.com.