Community: Porto’s raises $10,000 for Philippines

Porto’s had a fundraiser to send aid to the Philippines ravaged by a typhoon in November and raised a total of $10,000 from sales of baked cheese rolls at three stores — Glendale, Burbank and Downey, said Betty Porto, vice president of community relations.

It was a group effort, she added. Employees came in early to make cheese rolls and more than 60,000 were sold. Proceeds went to the Red Cross to help the Philippines.

The cheese roll was chosen as the best product to sell for the fundraiser because it is the No. 1 item purchased by the store’s Filipino customers, Porto said.

“They take ours to their country because they say ours are better, so I thought it was fitting to raise the funds with the cheese rolls,” she added. “We are a family-owned and operated business and we believe in giving back to the community, so it is great to get together with our community and help somebody else.”

Porto’s and Betty Porto took a special interest in trying to give all of her customers a way to show their support and also enjoy a tasty treat at the same time, said Ron Farina, executive director of the Glendale-Crescenta Valley chapter of the American Red Cross.

“The funds raised will go to so many needed supplies,” he said. “The water, the sheltering material and the energy food packets that are sent over there are desperately needed, so this money could not be used in any better way than I can think of than helping the victims who have no resources at this time to help them in their recovery.”

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