Organizers of a sock drive for area homeless youth blew through their goal of 5,000 and raised 23,245 pairs of socks — enough for virtually every homeless child in San Diego County. California Coast Credit Union partnered with the San Diego County Office of Education and the San Diego Unaccompanied Youth Task Force to launch the Warm Their Soles sock drive to collect new socks for youth experiencing homelessness in San Diego County. The month-long drive kicked off in November and Cal Coast matched the first $5,000 in donations. Socks are the most-requested and least-donated clothing item in shelters.
Socks collected during the drive are being distributed to select agencies serving homeless youth, including the Monarch School, Stand Up 4 Kids San Diego, Home Start and the The Center in Hillcrest. Rene McKee, California Coast’s vice president of community and public relations said the response from the public was amazing and it is “overwhelming to know that we will be able to touch so many lives and warm the soles of so many youth and young adults in need.”
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The American Society of Landscape Architects, San Diego Chapter, announces that the Cabrillo National Monument Visitors Center is the recipient of the 2016 $5,000 Community Grant, in collaboration with the San Diego Native Plant Society. With this amount, the project will completely restore 4,392 square feet of disturbed areas, and enhance 1,598 square feet of landscaped areas by introducing a selection of native plants compatible with the existing ornamental species in these areas. With the guidance of San Diego native plant expert, Greg Ruben, as well as documents and planning prepared by local landscape architects, the Cabrillo project involves performing native habitat restoration and enhancement within 15 outdoor areas in the vicinity of the Cabrillo National Monument Visitor’s Center complex, comprising 5,990 square feet in total area.
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The San Diego Center for Children’s WASC-accredited nonpublic school has received an extra boost for its Intensive Reading and Math Improvement programs. The Farrell Family Foundation awarded the Academy a 3-year grant for $105,000 to support the reading program and the ResMed Foundation has approved a $10,000 grant for the math program. Both foundations have been strong supporters of the center, the oldest children’s nonprofit in the region accredited by The Joint Commission for its excellence in quality of care.
The Academy specializes in supporting close to 100 students from more than 20 school districts whose mental, emotional and behavioral disorders impact their academic performance in a traditional classroom setting.
Moisés Barón, president and CEO of the San Diego Center for Children said the past pilot funding allowed its Academy to purchase the necessary curriculum and institute individualized learning programs for 22 students.
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The City of Carlsbad and Waste Management Inc. have named LEGOLAND California Resort as the “Recycling Champion” for the fourth quarter of 2016 as part of the City and Waste Management’s Green Business program that recognizes Carlsbad businesses for their exemplary recycling efforts each quarter.
LEGOLAND has grown its conservation efforts and recycling practices into a self-sustaining program with results that not only benefit the Earth but encourage employees to live a green lifestyle. Through its recycling center and Green Wave program the resort has been able to recycle more than two million pounds of materials. In addition, the resort has purchased trash and recycling bins and benches made out of recycled milk jugs with the money raised from its recycling efforts.
Lori Somers, municipal affairs representative for Waste Management in North County, said LEGOLAND’s sustainable practices go far beyond recycling and its “robust source reduction and closed-loop programs make them one of the most eco-friendly businesses in Carlsbad.”
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