LOMA LINDA, CA, – Childhood Cancer Foundation of Southern California (CCFSC) distributed over 100 Thanksgiving Food Baskets with all the fixings for a complete Thanksgiving dinner and over a week’s worth of food to families who have a child with cancer. Baskets were put together by various generous donors and delivered Tuesday morning to the Childhood Cancer Foundation office to then be picked up by families.
Every two minutes a parent hears the devastating news, “Your child has cancer.” With these words, normal life stops and a difficult new journey begins; a journey that will test families physically, emotionally, socially, and financially. Families dealing with cancer use every last resource to fight the disease in an effort to keep their child alive. We are hoping to relieve some of the financial stress associated with their struggle to beat this disease by providing them with a basket full of food for not only the holiday but the rest of the week.
It warms our hearts when the children come in and are amazed by the sight of all the delicious food they get to take home. Donors helped share more than smiles. In the spirit of giving, they showed our families that there is a community of people that truly care about them. Families travelled from all over the Inland Empire to collect their gift baskets; some from as far as Helendale and Thermal.
Baskets were provided by various donors: San Bernardino Municipal Water Department Employees Association, Allstate Diamond Bar Express, Bake Me Beautiful - Tamara Obregon, Beaver Medical Group – Highland, Scottish Society IE, City of San Bernardino Finance Department, Ferrer Family, County of San Bernardino Redlands, City of San Bernardino City Clerk's Office, LLU International Patient Services, City of San Bernardino Business Registration, Elena Klopfer, Ana Lugo, National Charity League, and Lisa Bates & Friends. Donors collected food for the giveaway and delivered baskets the morning of November 21st in time for families to pick up their much needed meals for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Receiving non-profit status in September of 1981, Childhood Cancer Foundation of Southern California, Inc. (CCFSC) is now more than 750 families strong committed to serving children with cancer and their families throughout Southern California emotionally, financially, educationally and with emergency assistance. CCFSC works directly with the families to identify their need for support. Communication with another family experiencing this devastating disease is very beneficial and CCFSC family events and activities provide this support.