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On Saturday, February 23, 2008, Toy Loan & Volunteer Services will be once again on Skid Row (Towne Ave between 6th & 5th) helping to serve a hot meal to almost 3,000 expected individuals and families at this event. Please join us for another great opportunity to serve. Contact your Office Volunteer Liaison or Rafael Navarro, Departmental Volunteer Coordinator for more information (213) 744-4348.

Last Years Event:

On a cool yet sunny day in mid-February, 112 hard-working individuals stood in line waiting for plates of food so they could serve others, prepared and handed out "goody bags" to all who came by and even cooked up a storm as they tried to keep up with the fast-paced demand of feeding 3,500 hungry citizens of Los Angeles. Toy Loan & Volunteer Services was hard at work at the "Friends Serving Friends, Annual Homeless Feed," sponsored by Mothers-In-Action and the Brotherhood Crusade. Many DPSS volunteers were happily helping out other vendors at their booths doing various different duties.

Everything was on schedule, working like clockwork, all booths were running full speed ahead, but one. Unfortunately the most anticipated booth, by both children and adults, the cotton candy and popcorn booth, was empty. The owner of the booth had to run to another event and her staff that was scheduled to run the booth had called in sick. It looked like no one would be enjoying popcorn or cotton candy.

Just then five DPSS volunteers stepped up and offered their help. Federico Mora and Eric Carter from Wilshire Special, Carolyn Johnson from Medi-Cal Outstation East, Am Demeissie from GAIN Region III and Genesse Menjivar, an employee's daughter all agreed to man the booth until all the "honored guests" were happily satisfied with their share of the warm, crunchy, yellow, air-popped kernels and the sugary, soft, pastel-colored cotton candy that melts in your mouth.

It is the dedication and self-less acts of volunteers such as these men and women that represent the ideals that DPSS strives for. On a daily basis our employees exemplify the values of the Department's mission statement, "To Enrich Lives Through Effective and Caring Service." It is only occasionally that we are able to publicly recognize the ones that stand out, such as the people mentioned above. With our deepest gratitude, we thank each and every one that volunteers for our DPSS Volunteer Services events.