SCV Neighbors in Need

If you have an opportunity to help, please donate to the Food and Personal Care Drive this Sunday, October 30th from 11am to 2pm at Central Park.

Rebecca Sewall Hindman is hosting the event to benefit our local school resource centers. We are so appreciative of Rebecca, for her continuous support of SCV Neighbors in Need’s events through donations and volunteering, and her efforts to help those in need in our community.

All donated items will go to the resource centers at Sulphur Springs School District, Sierra Vista Junior High, PAWS Center at Golden Valley High School, and The Cowboy Center at Canyon High School.

If you have any items that you would like to donate, but are unable to deliver them to the drive, please let us know and we’ll be happy to pick them up.

Thank you everyone.

For any additional information, please contact Hindman For Hart.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing women, who make our community and the world a kinder, more compassionate place. May your day be filled with the love and generosity you show to others.

To all the wonderful educators in our community, thank you for all that you do to fill your students minds and hearts, with knowledge and possibilities. We are so grateful for all our teachers and school staff, and for all that you do for our children. 📚 🍎

For a limited time, the EMERGENCY BROADBAND BENEFIT is available to help you connect to affordable, high-speed home internet.

If you’re eligible for CalFresh, MediCal, SSI or other assistance benefits, you’re encouraged to apply by December 31st. For more information, call 833-511-0311 or visit fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit

Source: County of Ventura

We’re off to spend time with family, but I had to send out a very special thank you to Patty Norona. We received a last minute request to help one of our local nurse’s, and her three children, and Patty and her wonderful family generously contributed for toys, art supplies, clothes and gift cards.
Incredibly humbled by all that she and the amazing team at Norona Insurance Agency continue to do for our community. ❤️

As the holidays approach for many of us, we wanted to thank you, for all that you have done to make our community a kinder and more compassionate place for those in need. We have been fortunate to see the personal impact you have had in schools, shelters, small businesses and individual homes, and your generosity has changed the lives of those struggling to stay warm, to feed their children, to keep their doors open, and to provide a joyful holiday for their families.

The world truly is a better place, because each of you is in it. ❤️

Toy Town on Main is this Friday, December 17th from 6pm to 8pm, and thanks to our generous community and business partners, we’ll be able to provide holiday toys for local children in need.

Special thanks to Planet Soccer and owner, Carlos Marroquin for helping us fill a donation giving box full of soccer balls and children’s toys.

To thank the community for their generosity and support, PLANET SOCCER is offering a discount on all regular priced items throughout the store. From now until Christmas, mention TOY TOWN and receive 25% OFF your purchase of all things soccer, including jerseys, cleats. soccer balls, and more.

Thank you to everyone, for all that you do to help those in need in our community. Your kindness and compassion make the world a better place.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

It’s almost time for Toy Town on Main Street, and we need your help insuring that every child in our community has presents to open on Christmas morning.

We’ll be collecting unwrapped toys and gift cards for local children and teens, through December 15th. If you would like to donate, just comment below and we can arrange for pick up, or you can drop off at one of our charitable business partners throughout Santa Clarita. Your donation is tax deductible, and receipts are available upon request.

Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity, and all that you do for those in need in our community.

On this Giving Tuesday, give what you can to charitable organizations or individuals that do work that you admire, for causes that inspire you. Whether an in kind or monetary donation, every gift, no matter the size, has the power to transform the lives of others.

Chag sameach! Happy First Night of Hanukkah to all those who celebrate. Wishing you a season filled with light, happiness and peace.

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate. We are so thankful for the continued compassion and generosity of this wonderful community, and incredibly grateful for all that you have done this last year and half, to share your blessings with those in need.

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. William Arthur Ward

Our 2nd Annual Cold Weather Jacket and Clothing drive is making a big difference for students and families in need. This is just a portion of the generous donations received so far from our community, and with so many more still wanting to help, we’ve extended the drive for an additional week. Thank you so much to Patty Norona and her awesome daughter Alexa, for collecting and delivering the mountain of bags you see in the picture. To “Alora Wilson, who picked up those bags of generous donations and delivered them to the family resource center, and Helen Doyle
for donating another, much needed clothing rack, thank you both so much. We are so lucky to be able to support the kind and hard working staff at Newhall Elementary School, and to work along side wonderful people like Ms. Graham, who after a very busy day, of a very busy week, still helped to hang jackets and fold clothes so they would be ready for students and their families.

Thank you everyone for all that you do! You make the world a kinder place! ❤️

We did it! The Newhall Elementary School Family Resource Center reopened today to students and their families. Special thanks to Helen Doyle, Sonia Aranda Byrne, Cinthia Finnigan and Guy Vennero Jr.. for the incredible amount of work that you put in to transforming this space. To the always generous Patty Norona, a heartfelt thank you for donating additional clothing racks and hangers. To Arlene Braunstein whose patiently waited for a list, and who has generously offered to create colorful labels for the bins, drawers and cabinets - thank you. Last, but certainly not least, to Ms. Graham who shared her classroom space and volunteered her extra time, and Principal Tapia who provided encouragement and support during this project, we couldn’t have done it without you both, and all the wonderful and welcoming staff at Newhall Elementary

Students, family and staff will now be able to access items easily, and generous donations, like the cold weather clothing we’ll be collecting tomorrow and Friday, will be immediately put to use by community members in need.

Thank you again, everyone. None of this would have been possible without the kindness and generosity of this wonderful community. ❤️

Happy Veteran’s Day to the brave men and women, who have served in our nations military; we are forever in your debt. Wishing you and your family a happy, safe and peaceful holiday.

Good morning everyone.

We’ll be hosting our 2nd ANNUAL HOLIDAY COAT DRIVE with Patty Norona and Norona Insurance Agency, next Thursday, November 18th. Your donation of new or gently used coats, jackets, sweaters, gloves, mittens and scarves will benefit Newhall School District’s three Family Resource Centers, and Bridge to Home.

There is a tremendous need in our community, so every donation, no matter the size, is incredibly appreciated.

If you have cold weather clothing you would like to donate, please comment below, and we will send you more information on pick up/drop off.

If you’d like to volunteer to help with sorting or donation pick ups, please let us know by commenting below or messaging Lesley Woodworth-Vennero for more details.

Thank you everyone for all that you do to help our neighbors in need. ❤️

It’s a new month, and with it comes new opportunities to give back

We’re continuing our work reorganizing the Family Resource Center at Newhall Elementary, and thanks to the hard work of some wonderful volunteers, we’ve made a big impact. So much so, that we’ve been asked if we can REIMAGINE TWO OTHER RESOURCE CENTERS IN THE NEWHALL SCHOOL DISTRICT. There’s lots of ways to help, including volunteering between 10am and 3pm (Tuesdays thru Friday), or by helping with monetary or in kind donations of plastic hangers (adult and children sizes), clear plastic bins with lids, and clothing and/or storage racks.

Beginning next week, we’ll also be hosting a COLD WEATHER JACKET AND SWEATER DRIVE to benefit all three Newhall Family Resource Centers, and Bridge to Home. We’re in need of clean and gently worn children and adult jackets and sweaters, to keep our neighbors warm as the weather turns chilly. We’ll also need volunteers to help with pick ups and sorting donations.

And for all our gardeners, we’ve received permission to begin work on our first school garden. We’ll be posting more details and pictures of our COMMUNITY GARDEN AND SEED TO SEEDLING PROJECT later this week. There will be lots of opportunities to participate, including prepping the garden for planting, adopting and raising your own baby vegetables from seed to seedlings, garden maintenance and participating in the harvest with student gardeners.

Throughout the month, we’ll also be adding more opportunities for volunteering and giving from our charitable community partners If you’d like to help with any of the events listed above, or are looking for different ways to give back, please comment below or message Lesley Woodworth-Vennero for more information.

Thank you to everyone for your kind and generous hearts. We’re so thankful for all that you do.

Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing dads in our lives. Thank you for all that you do for us, today and everyday.

This can also be a difficult day for many; please know you are in our thoughts. Sending hugs to all those missing their dads, today.

In honor of those who sacrificed so greatly for our nation, we are forever in your debt.

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in last weeks Front Porch Food Drive, benefiting students and families of the Newhall School District. Your donations continue to have a profound impact on our community, and the incredible staff of Teachers, School Social Workers, Resource Coordinators and Counselors, as well as the Newhall School Board, have expressed their sincere gratitude for your generosity and compassion.

Special thanks to Patty Norona, and the wonderful team at Norona Insurance Agency, who promoted the event and picked up and delivered donations from 30+ homes. Thank you to Alora Wilson, Laura Weinberg, Deidre Sullivan Hope, Rheina Calvo, Elsa Spitzer, Conny Bonelli and her cousin, and Chetan “CJ” Juneja, who all picked up donations throughout Santa Clarita, and delivered them for sorting. To Lily Fregoso, Deidre Sullivan Hope, Arlene Braunstein, and Jacqueline Nelson and her awesome boys, Wally, Gordy and Henry, thank you for sorting all the donations, and making it easier for the Family Resource Centers to distribute the items to those in need. And a personal thank you to my two Guys, for their help with the heavy lifting and delivery to Newhall Elementary, and to my daughter Lauren, for taking pictures and making sure I had something to eat - you make wonderful things possible.

Each item that has been donated to our Front Porch Food Drive’s over the last 10 months, has reached an individual or family in need, and has given hope at times when it was difficult to find it. None of this would be possible without your continued kindness and generosity, and we are so grateful. Thank you!

It’s time for this month’s Front Porch Food Drive!

This Friday, May 21st, we will be collecting food and personal hygiene items to fill the pantries of Newhall School District’s four Family Resource Centers. All donations will benefit students and their families struggling with food insecurity and homelessness.

If you would like to donate items, or volunteer to help with pick ups or sorting, please comment below and we will message you with more information. To protect your privacy, please do not include your address in the comments.

Your continued generosity and kindness is having a profound impact for our students and their families, and we want to thank you for insuring that no child goes hungry in our community.

Charitable Spotlight and Giving Opportunity

For all my animal lovers, we are long overdue in recognizing the contributions of our four legged, furry friends and the local giving organizations that work with them.

Cornerstone Companions Service Dogs, is a non-profit organization here in Santa Clarita, that trains specially skilled service dogs for those in need, and at no cost to the recipient. We spoke with founder, Britany Moreno, who said of starting the organization, “I think that everyone deserves the companionship, independence and freedom one of these loving dogs can provide. It should never depend on your financial situation".

Cornerstone Companions also believes in not only helping human companions, but canine ones as well. They rescue dogs from shelters whenever possible and train, rehabilitate and re-home them, so they can provide an invaluable service to someone in need and live a life full of meaning and purpose.

“We train various dogs for conditions like PTSD, autism assistance, anxiety, and mobility assistance, as well as, medical alert for high and low blood sugar, some seizures, as well as other medical conditions.

NEEDED DONATIONS
Currently, Cornerstone Companion’s is in need of in kind donations, including food, treats, toys, and leashes. According to Britany, “the dogs eat Costco Chicken and Rice Puppy Formula or Wholesome All Stage Food for Dogs,” and any type of treats are wonderful. She also shared that, “Kongs and durable chew toys are best, because we have some powerful chewers!”

You can also sponsor a dogs medical needs, like vaccinations, deworming, microchipping, and spay and neuter, as well as custom made vests for each dog at a cost of $75 per dog. To donate visit their website at wwww.cornerstonecompanions.org.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNJTIES.
If you love working with animals and helping others, Cornerstone Companions might be the perfect place. If you would to volunteer your time, here are some of the areas where you can help:
▫️Puppy raising
▫️Dog Training
▫️Fundraising
▫️Graphic arts and/or media technology specialist.

If any of these opportunities sound like something you’d be interested in, or would like to learn more about, you can email Britany at [email protected].

Britany also wanted to express her gratitude for the kindness and generosity of the community. “I have a dream to help others and I can't do it without wonderful people like you to help dogs, help people, restore hope and change lives!!! That is the mission of Cornerstone Companions! “

You can learn more about Cornerstone Companion Dogs on Facebook, at https://www.facebook.com/Cornerstone-Companions-Service-Dogs-107151811064015/

Or visit their website at https://cornerstonecompanions.org/.

This is a much overdue thank you to all those who gave so generously to support the students and families of the Newhall School District, struggling with food insecurity and homelessness.

Our 9th Front Porch Food Drive, was even more successful than the last, with boxes and bags of non-perishable food and toiletries collected from 83 homes throughout Santa Clarita. Your generous donations, once again, filled a Newhall classroom, bringing needed resources and hope to local students and their families.

Special thanks to our wonderful volunteers, who picked up from homes, sorted the incredible amount of food, and helped deliver 6 cars worth of donations to Newhall Elementary. Our amazing volunteers included

Deborah Lutz, who picked up from Valencia and Canyon Country, and helped us deliver the boxes of sorted donations;

Barbara Martinelli, who picked up donations and then helped us sort in the heat of the day;

Jan Downey who picked up donations from Saugus in record time;

The amazing Christine Nolasco Price, who once again donated her time to help with pick ups;

Julie Burd and her daughter Samantha, who picked up donations, helped sort and deliver the donations to Newhall Elementary;

Sara and Vyncent McDaniels, and their daughter Quunn, who made donation pick ups and delivery, a family affair;

Alora Wilson, and her sweet little boy, who picked up donations and helped sort;

Jacqueline Nelson, and her terrific trio, Wally, Henry and Gordy, who once again donated their time and energy, and who collected donations from friends and neighbors, sorted countless donations and helped us deliver it all;

Eileen Zeidner and her husband Jeffrey, who gifted items and helped sort donations;

and Arlene Braunstein and her husband Ben (aka Bob), who generously donated to yet another food drive, sorted items, filled their van to capacity, and did some seriously heavy lifting to help us deliver it all to students and families in need.

I also want to thank Patty Norona, Suzanne Macino, and Rheina Calvo with Norona Insurance Agency, who once again insured our Front Porch Food Drive was a tremendous success. From promoting the event, to picking up from homes throughout Santa Clarita, to providing a donation drop off location prior to the food drive, and delivering 3 cars full of food and toiletries, we are so grateful for your continued support of these community events.

And last, but absolutely not least, thank you to my husband Guy, my daughter Lauren and my son Guy, who all came out to help with everything from set up, to sorting, to the heavy lifting of 40 plus boxes filled with your donations. I’m so incredibly grateful for all they do to make these days possible.

This was such a wonderful and uplifting day to be a part of, and I hope each of you knows what a profound impact your generosity has on the lives of others. I’m so thankful for all of you, and the compassion of a community who lifts up those in need.

TODAY ONLY UNTIL 6:00PM!

Castaic Food Distribution Warehouse is offering free boxes of frozen churros to anyone that wants them. Each box has 5 bags of 12 churros, so there are plenty to share with family, friends and neighbors.

Castaic Food Distribution is located at 31910 Castaic Road, Castaic 91484 off of the Lake Hughes exit, next to Vincenzo’s Pizza.

We found that baking them in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, turning at least once for an even crunch was just about perfect. Make sure to roll in sugar when they’re done.

Tomorrow, Thursday March 25th, from 9am to 12pm, anyone in the Santa Clarita community struggling with food insecurity, can pick up free food at the Castaic Lake State Recreation Area.

The drive thru event, hosted by Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, the County of Los Angeles, and the office of L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, will provide family-sized boxes of free food to those in need. There are no eligibility requirements to participate.

The address of the is 32132 Castaic Lake Drive, Castaic 91384. When you arrive, please follow the posted signs to the pick-up area and wear a mask. Please do not line-up earlier than 8:30 a.m. and do not come on foot.

To learn more about more free food resources at https://covid19.lacounty.gov/food/.

Happy Thursday Everyone!

The forecast is sunny weather for the week ahead, so we’re planning our 9th Front Porch Food Drive for next Friday, March 26th. After learning more about the work of Newhall School District’s Family Resource Centers, and the impact February’s food drive had on students and families struggling with homelessness and food insecurity, we made a decision to help again this month.

If you would like to donate, or volunteer to pick up or sort, please comment below. Remember not to include your address in the comments, to protect your privacy.

If you’re not able to donate or volunteer, liking and sharing the post also has a tremendous impact, because it helps us spread the word about the event. Last month, with your help, we picked up from 75 homes

As always, thank you so much for all that you do to help our community; we couldn’t do it without you.

Remember, when sharing this post, we may not be able to see responses from family and friends on your page if it is private. If you would like to arrange for a donation pick up, please message us at SCV Neighbors in Need. Thank you.

Wow! That was the word used over and over, for Friday’s delivery to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Foundation. Thanks to your generous donations of snacks, on the go meals and sports drinks, we filled six cars, and renewed the foundations “pantry” of items, which will be dispersed to medical units and hardworking staff.

Special thanks to Gianna Meyers, a Girl Scout cadette with Troop 9471, who collected and delivered items with the help of her mom, Jamie. As always, we are so appreciative of Patty Norona, Suzanne Macino and Joy Pasco with Norona Insurance Agency, who spread the word, collected donations, and helped us deliver them to the hospital. To Amy Campos, who picked up donations in the rain, and then helped unload it all, thank you so much for generously volunteering your time. And finally to Guy Vennero Jr., who always helps, from pick ups to the heavy lifting, I absolutely appreciate it.

From SCV Neighbors in Need to Nextdoor, our community generously came together to support our frontline workers, and the foundations staff was overwhelmed by your kindness. Thank you so much for your generosity, and making these giving events so successful.

Due to rain in this weeks forecast, we are rescheduling our Snack and Drink Donation Drive for the staff at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, to this Friday, March 12th.

If you have already expressed an interest in donating or volunteering, we’ll message you with more information on the new schedule. If you would like to make a donation, but have not yet reached out, please comment below and we will message you with more information on this Friday’s pick ups.

Thank you everyone for all that you do. Stay warm and dry and we’ll see you on Friday.

On Wednesday, March 10th, in coordination with the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Foundation, we will be collecting snacks and sports drinks for the staff, who continue to work tirelessly, caring for our community.

The foundation has been able to secure regular water donations, but are still currently in need of items to keep the units stocked with “on the go” snack items and quick meals.

Currently, the following items are the greatest in need, with those with an asterisk, being the most requested as a special treat for staff:

*Fruit Snacks and Gummies
*Fresh Fruit Cups - all kinds
Pudding Cups - non-refrigerated
Chips - individual lunch size
*Cookies - individual snack size
*Chocolate and Candy Bars - snack size
Cup of Soup - any flavor
Cereal - individual bowls or packs
*Mint Hard Candy
*Fruit Flavored Hard Candy
Gatorade, Propel, or other similar sports drinks

*If you would like to donate items, or volunteer to assist with pick ups, please comment below and I will reach out with more information. For your privacy, please do not include your address in the comments.

Remember that every donation, no matter the size, is greatly appreciated by our frontline workers, and makes the hard work they’re doing, just a little bit easier.

I hope you’re all having a great week. Thank you everyone, for all that you do. ❤️

*When sharing this post, remember that we may not be able to see responses on your personal page. If you have family or friends that would like to help, please tag Lesley Woodworth-Vennero, so we can make sure everyone that would like to participate is included. Thank you for sharing.

Small Business Spotlight

“Each time we support a small business, we support someone’s dream,” and visiting with this weeks small business owner and artisan, nothing could be more true.

As you enter the second floor doors of Buttafly Jonez, The Artisan Collective you’re greeted with a warm introduction, by store owner Kaharra Harbour. Her specialty shop is a dream realized, and her creativity is everywhere you look.

My daughter and I visited after learning that, as with so many of our local small businesses, the pandemic was having such a profound impact, that Kahara was worried about her dream’s survival. As we smelled samples of her artisan perfumes, lotions and body scrubs, Kahara shared how Buttafly Jonez came to be, after years as a social worker, caring for the needs of others.

“Social work is rewarding, but it can take a real toll.” Kahara shared that she started making her own skincare, after an adverse reaction from another stores product. “I really enjoyed the process of creating natural, clean products, so I started making them for my coworkers, and it just continued to grow from there.” As for social work, Kahara continues to volunteer, and keeps in contact with many of the teens she counseled during drug rehabilitation, who now are grown, with families of their own.

Kahara’s handmade products are all natural, and free of parabens and hormone disrupters. She’s able to customize everything from roll on fragrances to skin care, and she has products for both men and women. My daughter and I loved the Sweet on Paris scent, but the truth is that everything we smelled was uniquely wonderful, and we had trouble limiting ourselves to just a few.

Kahara comes from a family of artisans and entrepreneurs, including her grandmother, and her mother, whose original pieces of artwork add additional beauty throughout the store. The store is a reflection of its owner; warm, artistic, and full of beauty, life and legacy.

For more information on Buttafly Jonez natural skin care products, bathing and body care, hair care, CBD infused products, candles, jewelry, crafts, and art call (818) 421- 3091, or visit https://www.buttaflyjonez.com.

To support Kahara and Buttafly Jonez, The Artisan Collection visit her store at:
18333 Dolan Way, Suite 203,
Santa Clarita 91387

Store Hours
Tuesday thru Friday: 10am-7pm
Saturday: 11am - 5pm
Closed Sunday and Monday

You can also support her business by following her on:
Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/buttaflyjonezco/
Instagram at
https://instagram.com/buttaflyjonez?igshid=p8uav295h0kj