Fund a Family Holiday Campaign

After the pandemic hit in March, the Family Focus Resource Center (FFRC) was one of the first on campus groups to reach out to the community. Securing a grant of $14,000 from the California Family Resource Association, FFRC initiated “Project Diaper,” purchasing and delivering diapers and wipes to over 200 local low-income families who have children with disabilities.

In October, the FFRC, in collaboration with programs in the Teaching, Learning, & Counseling Consortium (TLCC) and the Child Development Institute (CDI), a CSUN early childhood partner organization, distributed PPE and Distance Learning Kits to families living in the San Fernando Valley. Before opening the gates at the CDI facility, cars lined up on adjacent streets. Once the gates opened a steady stream of over 170 of them passed through the distribution center.

Recognizing the tremendous need of these families, some living in the cars they drove through the CDI parking lot, FFRC and TLCC made a decision to continue this outreach effort during the holiday season. FFRC will be distributing Holiday Fun Kits to children. Each kit will contain several crafts, a package of hot cocoa and a snack. We will also provide parents with lists of fun things to do over the long school break. The TLCC, with a generous donation from The Book Foundation, will be distributing 1,000 culturally sustaining children’s books.

While helpful, we know the needs of these families go far beyond snacks, crafts and books. For this reason we are asking members of the MDECOE community to make a donation. Funds would go to purchasing gift cards for low-income families. Our goal is support up to 150 of our neediest families in the San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita Valley and Antelope Valley.