IRVINE : Student Parents Get Christmas Boost

Getting into the holiday spirit is difficult enough when you face two final exams and a term paper; it’s harder if you are a parent, single and broke.

So at Irvine Valley College, students and faculty this month worked to take some of the stress out of Christmas with a monthlong toy and food drive to benefit the 140 single parents who attend the college.

The drive collected 400 toys and 140 gift baskets filled with holiday food including turkeys, canned goods and sweets.

“This time of year, it’s hard to make ends meet,” said George McCrory, college spokesman. “For students taking their finals, this takes some of the pressures off.”

The parents and their children received the gifts at a recent ceremony in which the children also posed for pictures with Santa Claus.

“The kids were thrilled,” said Bob Deegan, interim vice president for student services and the man who donned the Santa Claus costume. “They were thrilled by their gifts and the whole experience.”

Many single parents who attend the college go on to technical schools or four-year universities.

The college offers a variety of services for them, including a new child care center and classes designed to help single mothers choose careers and improve their study skills.

Vons, Alpha Beta and Kmart provided food and merchandise at discount prices for the drive.