As we wrap up our winter holidays Penny Lane wants to thank the following organizations (in addition to those already highlighted) as well as close to 300 individuals who contributed to make the holidays happy for our youth and families. They all gave generously in the form of toys, food, clothing, personal items and cash. With YOUR help every person and family Penny Lane serves had food and gifts to make their holidays truly merry! We are humbled and indebted to each and every one of you – thank you for your support and your belief in our mission.
Santa Claus came to town at Penny Lane Centers!!!!
The Annual Holiday Boutique hosted by our Board Member Kathy Cunningham and many volunteers such as: Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Kappa League, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Sylmar Biotech Health & Engineering Magnet and Young Ambassadors Leadership Academy (YALA), served over 300 PLC clients. They created a winter wonderland full of decorations, Santa, Christmas trees and gifts galore. This marks the 13th year that Kathy has organized this holiday boutique which continues to grow in scope and popularity.
There were over 100 people ready to come in before the doors opened. Happy excited faces were seen everywhere. Penny Lane coordinated a bus with over 45 clients/client families came from the Antelope Valley including veteran clients from Imagine Village. The AV team did a great job of collaborating and getting clients from many programs to make the trip down from the AV for this event. Our children and families from the housing services, intensive services, foster care and mental health programs benefited from this beautiful event. They all left with gifts, digital pictures and gratitude for the goodwill received from the kindness of volunteers and our community.
Penny Lane wishes to thank all the volunteers, board members Kathy Bailey Cunningham, Anthony Lee, Rocky DeAngelis, and Katrina Rosale that year after year continue brightening the lives of our children and families during the Holiday Season.
Check out some more photos from the Holiday Boutique below!!
Each year the Penny Lane's TAY Drop in Center in Commerce holds its Tamales and Champurrado event. This gives the transition aged youth a chance to come in out of the cold and enjoy a nice warm meal and to socialize with one another and with the TAY staff. This year was no different and on Saturday 12/17/22 the Commerce site hosted its 3rd annual event. It was wonderful having so many youth in attendance. There were some returning clients as well as several new faces. Transition aged youth often find it hard to trust others and we’ve found that providing a delicious warm meal can ease the tension and let the youth feel safe and secure. It’s only then they open up about what they need and how we can help them.
Commerce TAY clients also received stockings filled with gifts such as gingerbread cookies, blankets, and toiletries. The local Girl’s Scouts Troop 7291 from Los Angeles also generously donated items such as blankets, duffle bags, sweaters, hygiene products, and plush animals to our youth for the holidays. This truly was the season for giving and it was great for the TAY team to be able to support our clients during this time and make their holidays a little warmer.
-Bryan Do, Penny Lane Centers
Check out some more photos below!
Our Adoption Promotion & Support Services (APSS) program offers adoption focused services to children, youth, and families to support, encourage, and maintain children and youth as part of safe and loving adoptive families. Our services include therapy, parenting education, mentoring, support groups and much more. APSS is grateful to all of our families and our staff and Penny Lane, but it is our community partners that provide us with the ability to do more and give more than our contracts allow. This month we want to highlight JD Mora and his Keller Williams colleagues. Our program has had the pleasure of collaborating in different events throughout the years with Keller Williams of Palmdale.
In 2017 JD Mora and Keller Williams colleagues met with Penny Lane staff to see how they could help during the holiday season. JD Mora and KW colleagues wanted to do something for the Penny Lane APSS, Intensive Services Foster Care & Foster Care teens for a brighter holiday season. Every year since 2017 they have donated gifts to 30-50 teens. In 2017, they pledged 7 bikes. After the first day they were able to collect pledges for the 7 bikes. JD knew at that moment this was going to turn into a movement. Fast forward a few weeks later and they were able to get one bike for every teen that year!
Since then, they have held a drive specifically for our teens in care. Pledging one item for each one every year. Keller Williams colleagues and JD Mora have blessed our youth in care with bikes, tablets, earphones, power banks and gift cards. Their goal this year was to give each teen a $50 gift card. We are extremely blessed and thankful to say that they were able to collect exactly forty-eight $50 gift cards for our teens this year. JD and his team re looking forward to hosting an event soon so that we can connect in person again. Our staff, youth, and families are infused with the holiday spirit thanks in part to generosity and efforts of JD Mora and KW colleagues.
Thank you JD Mora and the entire team at Keller Williams of Palmdale!
Check out some more photos below!
On Friday Dec 16th, The North Hills Outpatient Case Management team collected many amazing toys for our clients (as well as their siblings!). Even Sergio of CTPM helped with transporting all the toys back to the office for us. It was great and rewarding team effort.
James Store House in Newbury Park has been an amazing resource for the clients and families we serve. They provide clothing, toys, diapers, home furnishings, and so much more! Their staff are always kind and welcoming. You can tell they are passionate about helping others. That day we definitely felt the love and warmth that their donations provide to our families.
James Store House takes donations and also has volunteer opportunities if you would like to help support a good cause. 😊
This year we were once again able to participate in the DCFS Belvedere Grinchmas Holiday event. It was a lovely event for the children, youth and families we serve in SPA 7. With several other agencies participating in this event, we were able to give toys, games and presents for over 500 families in need. Additionally, we had tons of volunteers making the day truly special for all who were in attendance.
Santa AND the Grinch even showed up and that really touched the children who were there. This event is special to us here at Penny Lane as it brings together our SPA 7 communities to help those in need. We look forward to participating in the event next year and hope all our families have a great start to the New Year! Watch the video to see all the highlights from the amazing day!
Check out some more photos of the event in the gallery above!
