230 Volunteers Turn out for La Cañada Presbyterian's Serve Day

La Cañada Presbyterian Church is calling its first serve day an overwhelming success.

The project, which included eight volunteer opportunities from downtown Los Angeles to La Canada, united hundreds of people on May 19 to help neighbors in need. More than 230 volunteers gave their time to projects such as serving lunch and dinner for the homeless, hosting a play date for foster children, beautifying a community garden, and throwing a baby show for a pregnant woman in crisis.

Each of these eight projects benefited a local organization with whom the church partners to serve the community, including the Union Rescue Mission, Union Station, Elizabeth House, Child S.H.A.R.E., Door of Hope and the Harambee School. An additional 150-plus people donated food and goods at LCPC, Ralphs and Vons supermarkets and online to benefit the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

“It was a joy to see so many different people united to make a real difference in our community,” Megan Katerjian, LCPC director of outreach, said in a prepared statement.

“We hope this is the first of many Serve Days to come.”

Volunteers came from LCPC, as well as the La Canada community and beyond. One father-and-son team came as far away as Manhattan Beach for this opportunity. Others hailed from Santa Monica to serve. Cub Scout Pack 512 partnered with LCPC for the LA Food Bank project, bringing about 40 families from La Canada Elementary and Crestview to participate.

Led by LCPC member Jason Ware and his son, the Scouts collected food from Vons customers and brought eight wagon loads of food over to the church.

The Parents' Afternoon Out was so popular that two families came from as far as Palmdale and Lancaster to participate. While the 18 children in attendance enjoyed running, playing board games and watching movies, their parents got time to reconnect and refresh.

At the Harambee School in Pasadena, more than thirty volunteers of all ages got their hands dirty pruning the community garden and orchard and planting roses.

"I loved helping out and Harambee deserves a nice garden out front," said La Canada student, Amanda Donofrio.

The next Serve Day is already scheduled for May 6, 2014. In addition, Katerjian facilitates monthly volunteer projects called “Go Journeys,” which provide an easy way for individuals to regularly give a few hours of their time.

For more information on how to volunteer through LCPC, contact Megan Katerjian at megan@lacanadapc.orgor 818-790-6708 x628 or visit the website at www.lacanadapc.org/serve.

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