The holiday season is traditionally a time of giving. It’s also appropriate at this time of the year to support organizations in our area that reach out to help those in need. Locally, many organizations are available to provide assistance, but these groups depend on all of us for their support, especially during the current pandemic. 

These organizations include Western Eagle Foundation of Temecula, which assists people throughout Southern California with food, clothing and personal items, and Community Mission of Hope, which also provides food for those in need. Charity for Charity, my 2018 “Non-Profit of the Year,” fulfills wishes for individuals with life-threatening illness or traumatic injuries. Fallbrook charities include the Angel Society, funded through the Angel Thrift Shop downtown, which has provided over $4 million in charitable grants since 1978, along with the Fallbrook Food Pantry, which makes approximately 25,000 home visits and distributes about 1 million pounds of food each year. And don’t forget groups like Interfaith Community Services and the Wounded Warriors food pantry, helping to provide food and other vital services throughout the region.

On the Healthcare front, noteworthy organizations include Neighborhood Healthcare of Escondido, my 2017 “Non-Profit of the Year,” serving over 76,000 people annually, and Palomar Health foundation, which provides support to the Palomar Health District, including help in obtaining badly needed PPE for healthcare workers caring for COVID patients. And with homelessness on the rise, Solutions for Change has stepped up to serve homeless families throughout the North County region.

These are just a very few of the local organizations that make a huge difference every day. They deserve our respect, our thanks, our support and our prayers in their daily quest to make a difference in the lives of thousands.