Bakersfield College’s CalWORKS/Care Programs are providing participants of the programs and their families with food and gift baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas through various means.
“We have had bake sales, canned food drives, and we teamed up with The Valley Plaza to sell Festival of Giving tickets, from which we get to keep the funds received,” said CalWORKS job development specialist Antonio Alfaro. “By doing this, the participants can experience what most people take for granted.”
While most of the Thanksgiving baskets have been put together, there is still a need for some food and for donations for the Christmas holiday.
“What we need more than anything is the support of the BC campus,” said Alfaro.
BC students can help by donating canned food, money and unwrapped gifts. The programs have also erected a Christmas tree in the CalWORKS/Care office area and decorated it with paper ornaments.
“The ornaments have the name of a child on it, and their age,” stated Alfaro. “People can come and adopt a child by taking an ornament and buying appropriate Christmas gifts.”
There are currently 347 needy children with whom the programs would like to provide a gift and food basket in addition to the Christmas party they throw for them each year.
Alfaro emphasizes that these events would not be possible without the support they receive from BC, in general. “We appreciate all of the support and the tremendous amount of help that the BC campus has afforded us. Thank you very much.”
All donations must be in by Friday Nov. 30th at noon.
Those interested in donating via canned goods or adopting a child can do so by visiting the CalWORKS/Care office, located on the second floor of the Student Services Building.
For information on monetary or gift donations, contact Meri Renee Lopez at the EOPS office at 395-4836 ([email protected]) or Yolanda Gonzales at the CalWORKS office at 395-4047 ([email protected]).