In the spirit of Pasadena’s successful “Put the Fork in Hunger” Food Drive, which collected close to 5 tons of food for people in need, its founders are organizing another drive which promises to be a success: The “Put the Fork in Hunger” Toy Drive. The drive, led by Teles Properties‘ real estate agent Philip Coombes, is a collaborative effort between the community and three local charities including Union Station Homeless Services, Five Acres and the AIDS Service Center, which support the homeless, children and their families, and AIDS related issues respectively.
On the weekend of December 10th, the public is invited to drive by and drop off unwrapped toys at a value of $10.00 or more to volunteers. Volunteers will be collecting toys from 8AM until 4PM on both Saturday and Sunday at “Fork Plaza” 200 Bellefontaine located just South of Huntington Hospital in Pasadena. The best gifts are those suitable for children and teens ages 5 through 17.
“We are so excited about the Toy Drive!” said Anthony Guthmiller, Director of Development & Marketing at the AIDS Service Center. “We could not do the work that we do without the continued and generous support of the community. Awareness is critical to not only caring for those affected by HIV/AIDS, but also in the stopping of the disease.”
The AIDS Service Center serves an increasing diverse population and provides services appropriate to a wide range of cultures, lifestyles and languages. They work hard to provide social services including health care, mental health counseling, family support, housing and legal assistance, transportation services, treatment advocacy/education and food distribution for thousands in need.
Another organization behind the “Put the Fork in Hunger” Toy Drive is Five Acres, a child and family services agency here in Los Angeles. Their work strengthens families and prevents child abuse through treatment and education in community-based and residential programs. Originally established as an orphanage in 1888, today Five Acres offers an array of services including a residential treatment center, a non-public WASC-accredited school, mental health services, foster care, adoption services and domestic violence prevention.
“Five Acres is grateful to the generous people of greater Los Angeles who are helping to ensure that abused, neglected and vulnerable children know that someone cares about them this holiday. Thank you for sharing the true spirit of the season,” said Cathy Clement, Director of Philanthropy at Five Acres.
Teles Properties was formed in 2007 to create a dynamic partnership between client, agent and company – a partnership with purpose unlike any other. One of the main components is giving back to our neighborhoods and communities, which is part of the Teles’ Gives Back campaign. By developing an interactive relationship with our communities where we live, we are able to make a difference as well as raise the experience for our clients to a whole new level of unparalleled service.
For more information on how to get involved, please contact the following;
Philip A. Coombes, Agent- Teles Properties, Inc; Public Relations, Put The Fork In Hunger Toy Drive, 626.644.3227, Phil@AgentPhil.com
Peter Hernandez, President & Broker of Record, Teles Properties, Inc., 424.203.1800, peter.hernandez@telesproperties.com
Anthony Guthmiller, Director of Development & Marketing, AIDS Service Center, 626.441.8495 ext. 241, AMG@aidssc.org
Kristina Sarenas, Public Relations & Volunteer Coordinator, Five Acres, 626.798.6793 ext. 2279, ksarenas@5acres.org
Tracey S. Kardash, Director of Development, Union Station Homeless Services, 626.240.4558