A very merry alt xmas – HAPPY HOLIDAYS - GOOD WILL TO ALL?


By Peggy Lee Kennedy

Are you tired of buying useless gifts for the sake of buying something? Does Uncle Harry really need another tie with a Christmas tree on it? Are you looking for the true spirit of the holiday season?


Well instead of supporting the national past time of over-consuming for the holidays, lets show holiday cheer by helping those in need right here in our local community!

Here are a few ideas to get things rolling:

• Contribute to a fund to purchase a van or a bus, which will be used to transport low-income families and at-risk youth to productive after-school and training activities. The Venice Community Housing Corporation (VCHC) offers a variety of programs that work to foster stable, self-reliant individuals, families and neighborhoods. You can find more about VCHC by viewing their web site at http://www.vchcorp.org and tax deductible check donations of any size can be made out to VCHC, 522 Rose Ave, Venice, CA 90292, 310 399 4100. Write “Van” in the memo portion of your check.

• Adopt-a-Family December holiday project with the St Joseph Center. Since 1976, St. Joseph Center has provided assistance to low-income and homeless women, men and children in both Venice and Santa Monica. For more information see www.stjosephctr.org and to volunteer, contact 310 392 8402 ext. 325.

• Organize a collection at your job or your school for the month of December for Children Helping Poor and Homeless People (CHPHP). The types of things you can collect are blankets, toiletries, cans of tuna, rain gear, and many other things that might help a homeless person here in Venice through this holiday season. For more information see <www.chphp.com> and contact CHPHP by email at chphp@earthlink.net and by phone at 310-840-4777.

• Volunteer or contribute food to the local Food Not Bombs. The hot meals they provide weekly are some of the healthiest meals in the area given to homeless and low-income people. You are welcome to come and help serve the food you have purchased (no middle person collects an administrative fee!) and you can see your gift going directly to people. Contact the local Food Not Bombs by emailing

worldatpeace@hotmail.com or nostrus@fastmail.fm and also by calling 310-892-8799.

Now you may be worried about those relatives who are expecting presents for the holidays. Many of these organizations give tax-deductible receipts and you can have them made out to your high-finance friends and relatives that can use a tax deduction. Maybe you can just put a little note in a Christmas or Hanukah card telling them that you made a contribution or volunteered in their name. Have a little picture taken of you helping or presenting donations and slip that in the card as well. I say give to those in need: food, blankets, clothes, toiletries, and even guilt.

Posted: Sun - December 1, 2002 at 04:09 PM          

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