SCV Neighbors in Need finished their sixth food drive this year, just before Thanksgiving, and are planning a toy and food drive in December for Christmas.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Lesley Vennero knew that some people were going to get hit harder than others. She knew that people were going to have to step up to help those who would be struggling the most to help themselves. So she connected with other concerned residents to form the Facebook group SCV Neighbors in Need and started organizing Front Porch Food Drives around the Valley.
“Originally in March, when we were going through our first stay-at-home order, we were really concerned about what was going on and how it would impact our seniors and how it would impact our immunocompromised neighbors,” Vennero said.
She knew that people around Santa Clarita would be hurting financially and some would be stuck in their homes. Many residents might be afraid to go shopping due to their higher safety risks caused by age or preexisting conditions, Vennero said.
“After speaking to a couple of other people that had the same concerns that I did, we decided to start this Facebook page,” Vennero said. “Instantly we had 400 people that became members.”
Vennero started the group along with neighbors she met on Facebook; all looking for a way to help. Their goal was to provide community support to people struggling as a result of the pandemic.
As soon as they put up the group page, interest started pouring in. People reached out, wanting to donate and volunteer.
Patty Norona, a resident of Stevenson Ranch, has been volunteering with Neighbors in Need since the beginning. Norona owns and operates a local Farmers Insurance agency and, like many, wanted to help in some way following the COVID-19 outbreak and economic recession.
“When the pandemic hit, I was like a lot of people who were just confused about what to do and how we can help,” Norona said. “I was on Facebook trying to find different groups that were trying to do something for the community. That’s how I found Lesley.”
To help maintain social distancing and make it possible for people staying at home to contribute, Vennero’s group asked community members with donations to leave them out on their front porches. Volunteers would drive around the valley collecting them. Hence the name, Front Porch Food Drives.
Over the past nine months, SCV Neighbors in Need has organized six food drives to benefit food pantries and church groups around the valley.
Neighbors in Need also worked with Santa Clarita’s homeless shelter, Bridge To Home, to collect winter clothes and blankets. They were able to collect over 130 blankets and 100 jackets.
“Lesley doesn’t support just the pantries. Recently we got the word out that Bridge to Home needed new blankets and sweaters, “Norona said. “We use my office as a drop location for the specific items we need. And then through my networking communities, different businesses throughout the valley, they want to help. So we’ll get help from them too.”
Vennero has also used her group’s platform to promote local charities and businesses. On the group’s Facebook page she has posted about blood drives, second-hand clothing stores, farmers markets and local businesses trying to open back up and struggling to stay afloat; encouraging her group’s followers to support them.
In December, Neighbors in Need is organizing a food and toy drive to benefit local Santa Clarita residents. The front porch food drive will be the last of the year and will benefit the Santa Clarita Grocery. The toy drive will be done in conjunction with Smile SCV and the Boys and Girls Club.
“There’s 300 children in the boys and girls club and we’re hoping to get each one of them a toy for Christmas,” Vennero said.
The design of the organization’s drives, where volunteers come to your house to pick up donations, has allowed many people to contribute who might otherwise not be able, according to Vennero.
“There are people going through chemotherapy. They have children at home, they’re going through their own struggles,” Vennero said. “When they put something out there, they put out a bag of groceries. There’s that sense that none of us are alone; that we’re all there together and we’re working together. That’s always been the case here, I’ve always seen that here in Santa Clarita, but right now with everything going on, I know for myself it’s completely inspiring and uplifting. It’s what keeps me going every day.”
To join the group, visit here
Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or send an email to newstip@hometownstation.com. Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking KHTS Santa Clarita News Alerts delivered right to your inbox. Report a typo or error, email Corrections@hometownstation.com
KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
No comments:
Post a Comment