Donors are still needed to adopt families this year for the annual BCC Holiday Baskets program, according to Janet Diel, President of the Burbank Coordinating Council. BCC also asks for volunteers to collect food and toy donations and assist with basket preparation throughout the first few weeks of December.
“We still have about 175 families unadopted,” said Diel, who noted the Burbank Coordinating Council makes sure that even those families who aren’t “adopted” by basket distribution time will still receive holiday gifts and food.
Every year, individuals, families, schools, organizations and businesses in Burbank work together to provide Holiday Baskets filled with gifts of food, toys and clothes for needy families in the City. The BCC Holiday Baskets program enters its 79th year this season.
On Saturday, December 5, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., BCC conducts a citywide food drive at several local grocery stores. Volunteers are needed to help collect food donations and are asked to contact Barbara Salamon at (818) 843-7571 to arrange time.
On Wednesday, December 9, the donated food items will be bagged at The Little White Chapel between 2:00 and 9:00 p.m.
Then on Friday, December 11, the bags are transported from The Little White Chapel to Washington Elementary School auditorium and hallway. Food donations that come in that day will also be sorted and bagged. Gifts are added to the baskets to the complete building of un-adopted family baskets. The day starts at 2:00 p.m. at The Little White Chapel and volunteers work at Washington from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. or until done, added Diel.
Saturday, December 12, is Delivery Day. BCC needs volunteers to move all the un-adopted family baskets outside to the lunch shelter, cover the tables, sort out the baskets by city area, call families, load or unload cars and deliver baskets to families throughout the city. Diel plans to deliver baskets to more than 500 families throughout Burbank that day between 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Volunteers may also call (818) 216-9377 or email ccholidaybaskets@aol.com to sign up to help.
“If you would like to adopt a family contact us ASAP,” added Diel.
The BCC holds its next meeting on Monday, December 7, from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. at The Little White Chapel, located at 1711 N. Avon Street in Burbank. Lunch is $10 and BCR A Place To Grow singers and the Van Bloem Singers will sing holiday music.
