City Employees Help Gather Gifts for Kids

Staff members from eight city departments have collected 200 toys and 150 backpacks filled with items to comfort and aid abandoned or battered children.

The toys and backpacks--filled with clothes, hygiene products, comforters and pillows--will be presented to With Love, Grandma Inc., a local nonprofit group that distributes the packs to children in foster care or group homes.

These are kids who “feel like they’re throwaway children and that nobody loves them,” said Jeri Davis, president of the organization. “They feel very alone and abandoned in our society, which is a big hurdle to overcome emotionally.”

Each year, city employees find a charitable organization to help during the holiday season. This year, they chose With Love, Grandma Inc.

“We liked the idea of helping kids who have gone through unfortunate circumstances,” said Linda Lawrence, deputy city clerk. “Christmas is special to kids, and the committee wanted to help make the holidays a happier time for them.”

The contributions of city employees will help children in eight California counties, including Ventura County, Davis said.

“Most of these children [go into foster care and shelters] with only what they have on . . .,” Davis said. “They’ve been beat up and abused, and they don’t know that there are people in this world who care about what happens to them.”

Davis said she is grateful to the city for its support.

“I’m overwhelmed that the city employees came together like this,” she said. “They will affect the lives of about 300 children. They not only provided for children who will receive this now, but they’ve provided comfort and kindness for them over the months to follow.”

Donations can be made to With Love, Grandma Inc. by calling (805) 375-1368.