Ways You Can Help

While the holidays can be a time of happiness for some, it can also be grim for those who are less fortunate--the sick, the shut-ins and the families who cannot afford to celebrate.

Get into the spirit of the holidays by helping those who need it the most. The following is a partial list of nonprofit groups that offer community assistance and what they need. If your neighborhood or area of interest is not listed, please contact your local volunteer agencies.

Remember, although helping others during the holiday season can bring you momentary happiness, its effect can last throughout the years.

Cheering Children’s Lives

* For abused and neglected children at the Children’s Institute International, holiday wishes are new toys, costume jewelry, warm jackets, sleepwear, watches, radios, small travel bags, Polaroid cameras and film. Information: (213) 385-5100.

* The Crippled Children’s Society of Southern California’s wish list includes toys (for infants through teens), toiletries, socks, radios, CDs, tapes, gift certificates from grocery or clothing stores, new sports equipment, a microwave, food processor, TV and computer. Information: (213) 874-3300, Ext. 314.

* The young men at Camp Mendenhall in Lake Hughes, a military-like probation department boot camp, need paperbacks, comic books, stationery, stick deodorant, black pens and, of course, volunteers. Information: (805) 724-1213

* Among the holiday needs of Great Beginnings for Black Babies in Southwest Los Angeles are baby clothes, crib sheets, towels, baby food, formula, toiletries, blankets, bottles, car seats and strollers. Information: Jeanne Taylor, (213) 295-5495.

* For the 40 teens and dozen infants and toddlers at the Florence Crittenton Center in Los Angeles, pick from: clock radios, bathrobes, earrings, perfume, funky style maternity clothes, cameras, blow dryers, finger paint sets, toddler educational toys, toddler clothing (sizes 2 to 5), rattles and teething rings, soft baby books and stuffed animals. Information: (213) 225-4211.

* Gifts, food baskets and groceries are needed at the Exceptional Children’s Foundation, which cares for 150 disabled infants and toddlers in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles and South Bay. Also seeking volunteer help to wrap children’s gifts, prepare food baskets, play Santa, prepare and serve meals. Information: (213) 290-2000.

* Help bring holiday cheer to children at Free Arts for Abused Children, a center that presents art as a therapeutic tool in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Needs are--particularly for teenagers--games, art supplies, stuffed animals, T-shirts, gift certificates to record stores, hand-held video games, watches, new white T-shirts (all sizes) and art supplies. Information: (310) 313-4278.

* School on Wheels assists in educating the children (kindergarten through 12th grade) of families living in shelters, motels and cars, or on the streets. Specific needs are calculators, three-ring notebook paper and backpacks. Information: (310) 317-4729.

* Special gifts for 450 abused, abandoned and neglected children in the Los Angeles and Antelope Valley areas are needed at the Optimist Foster Family Agency. Information: Marian Wilson, (213) 341-5561, or Judith Poe, (805) 272-4733.

* The Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic helps the mentally ill, abused and neglected from 18 months to age 22. Items needed are new toys, supplies for art and crafts, new school supplies, Polaroid film, 35-millimeter color and black and white film, educational computers, grocery gift certificates and canned food. Information: Karen King, (213) 766-2360.

* The Riverside County Department of Public Social Services’ Volunteer Services Program is asking community support for Operation Santa Claus for victims of abuse and neglect. More than 4,000 gifts are sought for children and elderly dependent adults. Items include toys and gift certificates. Information: (909) 358-3625.

* Abused, abandoned and neglected children are helped at Five Acres in Altadena. The center wants to provide them with items including food baskets, grocery and store gift certificates, diapers, new clothes, TV, VCR, encyclopedias, dishes and large artificial plants. Information: Craig Cotter, (626) 798-6793, Ext. 305.

* Unwrapped toys, cash, gift certificates and canned goods are being collected for abused, neglected and emotionally disturbed children (through age 18) at the San Fernando Valley Child Guidance Clinic in Northridge. Information: Jo Devine, (818) 993-9311.

Comforting the Sick

* Join Singing Angels; Healing Angels, Christmas Day, singing carols to patients at the Westside Kaiser Hospital from noon to 3 p.m. Bring a wrapped gift suitable for a child or an adult. Information: Audrey Linden, (310) 553-0166.

* A large microwave oven and an erasing chalkboard are the holiday wishes at Step Up on 2nd, a Santa Monica facility for people recovering from mental illness. Information: (310) 394-6889.

* Food, computers and new toys will cheer clients of the Minority AIDS Project, a nonprofit organization that serves people of all races. Information: (213) 936-4949.

* Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center, dedicated to enabling people with developmental disabilities, needs volunteers and contributions of new toys, food certificates and personal care products during its Holidays Are for Sharing program. Information: (213) 383-1300, Ext. 324.

* Help is needed for hospitalized AIDS patients at County-USC Medical Center. Special needs are for adult-size T-shirts, colognes and sweatshirts. Information: Margie Dolinski, (213) 226-6945.

* Holiday assistance to help disabled children with horseback riding and horse care is needed at Ride on Therapeutic Horsemanship in Chatsworth. Training is provided. Information: (818) 700-2971.

* Holiday help is needed at Make-A-Wish Foundation, granting special wishes to children up to age 18 who suffer from a life-threatening illness. Information: (800) 322-9474.

* Lions Clubs International and LensCrafters allow you to help others to see by donating old eyeglasses. Under the Gift of Sight program, glasses are cleaned, repaired, classified by prescription and distributed to needy people in developing countries. Information: (800) 541-5367.

* Training and employment programs for adults with developmental and multiple disabilities are provided by Tierra del Sol Foundation in Sunland, Claremont and Van Nuys. On its holiday wish list are IBM computer equipment and adult-size wheelchairs. Information: (818) 352-1419.

* Bring a toy and lend a hand at the Intercommunity Guidance Center in Whittier and its seventh annual Holiday Sharing of Gifts today at 8 a.m. Information: Charlene Dimas-Peinado, (562) 692-0383.

* At-risk children and teen parents are helped at Friends of the Family, Community Mental Health and Family Support Center in Van Nuys. Holiday wishes for parents are clothes, diapers and nonperishable food items. Programs for at-risk children need donations of new clothes, preschool and school-age books, coloring books, crayons and colored markers. Information: (818) 988-4430.

Helping the Needy

* A network of shelters and services is provided at the Ocean Park Community Center in Santa Monica. Items wished for are flannel pajamas, new underwear, backpacks, turkey baskets, canned food, grocery gift certificates, diapers, cassette tapes, clothing appropriate for job interviews, makeup bags and shaving kits. Information: (310) 264-6647.

* At-risk children and needy families throughout Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties are helped at the Society of St. Vincent De Paul, Council of Los Angeles Inc. Needed are toys, clothing for boys and girls ages 7 to 14, diapers and formula, nonperishable foods, new socks and underwear, blankets, sleeping bags and warm jackets for homeless adults. Information: (800) 974-3571.

* Emergency services for homeless youths ages 11 to 17 are offered at Children of the Night in Van Nuys. A wish list includes Walkman radios, crafts items, makeup, curling irons, a piano, job interview clothes for adults, clothes for girls and boys (sizes 3 to 20), new socks, new shoes (any sizes), watches and school supplies, and tickets to sporting events, amusement parks or concerts. Information: (818) 908-4474.

* Families, businesses and organizations can help by adopting a family through the LA Family Housing Corp., an emergency shelter for families in the San Fernando Valley, East Los Angeles and South-Central Los Angeles. Items needed are new toys, clothing and food. Information: (818) 982-4091.

* Food and new toys are on the list at St. Peter Claver Center, a Catholic social service for the South-Central and Crenshaw areas. Information: (213) 737-6036.

* Gifts for 20 moms and / or their children are asked at His Nesting Place in Long Beach. Holiday needs include diapers, perfume, nylons, slippers, Christian music videos and cassettes, Walkman radios, fast food certificates and children’s Bibles. Information: (562) 422-2137.

* Haven House in Pasadena, a shelter for battered women and children, would be grateful for a variety of items for babies, children and teens. It can use unwrapped electronic games (nonviolent), new clothing, new tools, toiletries, gift certificates (movies, fast food, music), gift wrap and grocery certificates. Information: (626) 564-8880.

* Holiday help with a gift-wrapping project is needed at the Cat and Dog Rescue Assn. No experience is needed. All proceeds will go directly to neutering and spaying of dogs and cats as well as to outreach programs and feeding homeless animals. Information: (213) 525-1471.

* More than 80 homeless shelters and service agencies are represented by Shelter Partnership Inc. On its wish list are a microwave oven, a large-capacity refrigerator, a computer, children’s toys and children’s clothing. Information: Ruth Schwartz, (213) 688-2188.

* Pasadena postmasters save letters written to Santa and deliver them to the Pasadena Junior Chamber (Jaycees), which collects toys and sends them to local children. On Christmas Eve help is needed in sorting and picking up toys and inputting (on the computer) the addresses of the children on Santa’s route. Information: (626) 792-5146.

* Schools and companies are asked to participate in the annual toy drive for homeless families served by Beyond Shelter. Needed are volunteers to transport toys to its Los Angeles office. Information: (213) 252-0772.

* Restore, a transitional housing facility for victims of domestic violence in Central Los Angeles, would be grateful for a vehicle and vehicle insurance, washer and dryer, mattresses, refrigerator and freezer, roofing repairs, stove, linens and vehicle repairs (1991 Ford Aerostar). Information: (213) 937-7672.

* School and employee groups can help the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank by setting up barrels for holiday giving. Needed are nonperishable goods and volunteers to sort food. Information: LaTanya Fowler, (213) 234-3030, Ext. 130.

* Through the ecumenical network of churches and parishes Child SHARE recruits and supports foster and foster / adoptive families in Los Angeles County. It seeks new toys for welcome baskets. Information: (818) 957-4452.

* To enable the Los Angeles Mission to continue to provide services for thousands of homeless people on Skid Row, the organization needs socks (men’s and women’s), pants (men’s sizes 28-36, women’s all sizes), shoes, deodorant, underwear (men’s and women’s), men’s suits (sizes 38-50), toiletries and infant wear. Information: (213) 629-1227.

* Women Helping Women Services, sponsored by the National Council of Jewish Women / Los Angeles, requests donations of unwrapped toys and food for gift baskets. Information: (213) 655-3807.

* Help the needy at Interfaith Action for Aging by delivering hot meals to shut-ins and a short visit. Donations for meals are also needed. Information: (562) 436-0991.

* People of all ages, especially children, are invited to spread holiday cheer with the Holiday Project, visiting Canoga Care Center (a convalescent home) in Canoga Park. Any form of participation is welcomed: singing Christmas carols, helping distribute donated gifts and visiting patients. Information: Candice Vorhies, (818) 346-1582.