Philanthropy Mid-Year Update

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

DAY OF SERVICE PROJECTS

Each year, our Community Outreach committee organizes hands-on projects for our members.

This fall, we partnered with Exceptional Children’s Foundation Art Center San Pedro to clean up and beautify their front entrance. Over the two day project, 14 Sandpiper volunteers helped clean up their three front garden beds to make the space more inviting. They painted the wall and creatively used 8 recycled tires as planters. Drought-tolerant succulents were planted so they would last throughout the year and brighten up the space for years to come!

This Spring the Community Outreach Committee worked with agency partner Cancer Support Community South Bay (CSCSB) to decorate their kids/teens room. Sandpipers painted the room, decorated the space using an animal and jungle theme, and made puppets for the kids to play with. CSCSB expressed, “from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for making this space feel comfortable and special for our kids who have been affected by cancer.”

ANNUAL BEACH CLEAN UP

This September, over 20 members and their families participated in Heal the Bay’s Coastal Clean-up Day. Volunteers picked up more than 200 pounds of trash from Lunda Bay in Palos Verdes.

BACK TO SCHOOL SHOPPING

Over 115 Sandpipers Actives, Provisionals, Juniors and Pipers gathered on Sunday, August 22nd, 2021 at Kohl's in Torrance for our 22nd annual Back to School Shopping event. Sandpiper volunteers were paired with 75 children ages 6 to 11 from 10 of our local South Bay agencies to shop for new back to school clothes and shoes. Given the state of COVID and unexpected LAUSD quarantines from the first week of school, we were so happy to be able to welcome 60 kids for in-person shopping, while 15 children were sent their items home with the agency representative. Each child received a $200 gift card to shop and Kohl's kindly offered a 20% discount and tax-free shopping. On top of all the new clothes and shoes, each Back to School participant also received a backpack full of school supplies for the year.

SUMMER ARTS

Every July-August, Sandpipers fund, organize and teach a nine-week arts program made available to underserved dults and children living in the South Bay. The program enriches and enhances the lives of the underserved in our community and provides meaningful community service opportunities for our membership. This year, we supported the Richstone Family Center and Little Sisters of the Poor.

SUGARPLUM

Thanks to all of the support from Sandpipers and the South Bay business community, the Sugarplum committee surpassed their goal collecting over 2,100 toys this year! Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) was overwhelmed with gratitude for all of the gifts that would be distributed this year to children living in foster care.

HOLIDAY BASKETS

On December 12th, Sandpipers hosted a milestone 90th year of its beloved founding program, Holiday Baskets. The event was held at the Torrance-South Bay YMCA. The basket program provided basic necessities and gifts to 103 families which included 262 children from 19 agencies. Over 200 volunteers from our Sandpiper community shopped for their adopted families along with Rotarians and Amigos who assisted with the event.