Glad tidings they bring: Service clubs, schools, businesses and agencies partner to give food, Christmas gifts and more to Clovis families in need

The giving spirit is strong in Clovis, especially during the holidays.

Numerous food and toy drives and giveaways were held by various service clubs, Clovis Unified schools, businesses and agencies to make Christmas a little bit easier for families in need.

The following are just a few examples of generosity exhibited by local residents.

Kaiser’s commitment to the community

Kaiser Permanente Fresno employees donated new toys and books to Valley children in need and provided socks, soaps, lotions and other toiletries to domestic violence victims at the Marjaree Mason Center.

Several hundred toys and books were collected in large bins placed throughout local Kaiser Permanente medical centers and outpatient clinics. The donations helped Detachment 14 of the Marine Corps League get closer to its goal of helping 40,000 children in Fresno County, said the detachment’s Toys for Tots chairman Mike Aguilar.

Employees also donated hundreds of items, including diapers, shampoo and even cell phones, which they had been collecting since October for residents of the Marjaree Mason Center.

“We are extremely grateful for the donations we have received from Kaiser Permanente Fresno employees. Community partnerships like this are so important to help us serve those affected by domestic violence and give them the safe housing and support services they need,” said Marjaree Mason Center executive director Nicole Linder.

Books from Bud Rank Ravens

Thanks to the students of Bud Rank Elementary, women and children seeking shelter from domestic abuse and homelessness will be able to find adventure in reading.

A two week-long campaign at the school resulted in a donation of 2,318 books to the Marjaree Mason Center in Fresno.

Each year Bud Rank’s Student Council, under the direction of Heather Devany and Allison Vargas, selects a project as a way to give back to the community.

“Our staff talked to the students about the center and they were all on board to help.The students are so excited that they can do something to help others read since they have fond memories of reading with their parents when they were younger,” Devany said.

Flyers were sent home, posters were put up on campus and the surrounding Harlan Ranch neighborhood near the school was notified of the collection drive — and the books came pouring in. Due to its success, Devany hopes to make it an annual event.

Footwear provided by Payless and PG&E partnership

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and Payless ShoeSource in Sierra Vista Mall partnered to provide new shoes and socks to 160 Tarpey Elementary School students on Dec. 16.

PG&E provided a $5,000 grant to Tarpey Elementary for the giveaway and Payless ShoeSource honored a discount that allowed more students to receive new shoes for the holidays. Students took a field trip to the store to get sized and pick out their own, new footwear.

Men’s Club delivers meals, gifts

Saint Agnes Men’s Club pack and delivered large bins full of goodies to brighten the holidays for 25 local families in need. Each bin will included donated items such as a turkey, produce, canned goods, toiletries, dental supplies and over $250 in grocery store gift cards. This is the 17th year the Men’s Club has provided Christmas bins for underserved Valley families. Members also provided presents and books for children of the families, benefitting over 100 children this year.

Battling hunger as a team

Clovis Rotary Club and the Clovis Police Officers Association (C.P.O.A.) have teamed up for 32 years to battle hunger locally during the holiday season. The agencies work with the Salvation Army, various church groups, Clovis schools and other organizations to identify and help families in need.

Volunteers sorted cans of food along with non-perishable boxed food. It was truly a team effort, as Walmart discounted and ordered many of the groceries, Mi Rancho and La Tapatia donated tortillas and P-R Farms contributed produce. Clovis Recycling and Budget Truck Rental in Clovis provided transportation for moving the goods to the P-R Farms packing facility at Willow and Shepherd, where volunteers filled baskets with hams, turkeys, eggs, milk and all the fixings. Again this year, Pat Ricchiuti offered his facility for volunteers to have a space big enough to assemble the boxes of food and to accommodate the hundreds of families receiving assistance.

Inmates at the Pleasant Valley State Prison in Coalinga refurbished bikes for Clovis parents to put under the tree for their children as part of a program the Clovis Police Department established 16 years ago.

This story was originally published December 25, 2016 at 4:12 PM with the headline "Glad tidings they bring: Service clubs, schools, businesses and agencies partner to give food, Christmas gifts and more to Clovis families in need."