Web: www.OperationEaster.com

"Operation Easter Basket" Needs Community Help to Make 1,250 Essentials-filled Baskets for LB-area Youth by Good Friday

CAN WE COUNT ON YOU and four friends to put together five Easter baskets for needy Long Beach kids? Our goal is 1,250 baskets this year. Please let us know if you can commit to help bring hope and cheer this season. Please drop off your baskets by Good Friday, April 6, 2007 to one of the locations listed below.

CONTACT
JustinRudd@aol.com or 562/439-3316

OPERATION EASTER BASKET seeks to bring joy and hope to children in desperate situations right here in the Long Beach area through gift-filled Easter Baskets containing items such as art supplies, small toys, school supplies, hygiene products, essential clothing items and some Easter candy. This program, founded/organized by Justin Rudd and his 501c3 nonprofit Community Action Team (CAT), provides an opportunity for people of all ages to be involved in a simple, hands-on project while focusing on the true meaning of love -- the greatest gift. Last year, more than 1,100 baskets were delivered on Easter weekend to the most underserved children in and around Long Beach, hand-selected by the public health nurses at the City of Long Beach Health Department and other public and private agencies. This year we want to help by collecting and distributing even more baskets.

g HOW TO PACK YOUR EASTER BASKETS

1. First, decide whether your gift will be for a boy or girl and choose an age category: (2-4), (5-9), or (10-14). Attach a note to the handle of your Easter basket that says "BOY" or "GIRL" and the age category (i.e. BOY, age 5-9).

2. Find a basket that you can use to create your Easter Basket.

3. Then, fill your basket with a variety of gifts:

TOYS: small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, plastic kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, small Etch A Sketch, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky, etc.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES: pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, coloring books, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, etc.
HYGIENE ITEMS: toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, soap, comb, bubble bath, washcloth, etc.
ESSENTIAL CLOTHING: socks, T-shirts, slippers, underwear, ball caps, etc.
MORE IDEAS: manufacturer's-packaged candy (i.e. no loose jelly beans), age-appropriate hard candy (i.e. not too small for a young child to choke on), lollipops, mints, gum, sunglasses, flashlights with extra batteries, toy jewelry sets, hair clips, watches, small picture books, gift certificates, books, etc.
g DEADLINE: Noon on Good Friday, April 6
Drop-off Locations

PREFERRED DROP-OFF HOME OF APRIL RIVAS, OUR COORDINATOR, 325 Bay Shore Ave., between Vista & Appian Way, 2 blocks north of Second St., Belmont Shore, 90803 MAP 562.433.1340. NOTE: Safe to leave baskets on the front porch.

Bungalow Bay, 6457 E. PCH, (Marketplace Long Beach, between Claim Jumper and Calif. Pizza Kitchen), Long Beach, 562.596.1839

Starling Diner, 4114 East 3rd St., Long Beach, 90814, 562.433.2041

Belmont Shore: Coldwell Banker/Erik Bueno, 5353 E. 2nd Street #205 (above Subway sandwich shop), 562.884.2839

FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS NEEDED
We can help make Easter Baskets for you and we truly appreciate any gift, monetary or in-kind, that would help us to make possible this Easter effort of love. Your tax-deductible check or gift can be payable/mailed to: "CAT," 5209 E. The Toledo #1, Long Beach, CA 90803. Please write Easter Basket in the check's memo line.

CLUBS, SCHOOL GROUPS & CHURCHES WELCOME
In addition to efforts by caring individuals, we welcome and encourage participation by area organizations.

REFER A FRIEND TO THIS OPPORTUNITY
www.OperationEaster.html

WHICH KIDS BENEFITED IN 2006?
4Carmelitos Housing Development -- 300 baskets
4Northpointe Housing Project, Long Beach BLAST -- 45 baskets
4Bikes 90800 -- 325 baskets
4Long Beach Dept. of Health Dept. Public Health Nurses -- 105 baskets
4Multi Service Center Childcare Center -- 44 baskets
4Long Beach's Homeless Services & Family Preservation Program -- 21 baskets
4City of Long Beach Center for Families and Youth -- 21 baskets
4Stramski Center, Miller Children's Hospital -- 10 baskets
4Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach -- 22 baskets
4Orange Coast Interfaith Shelter -- 15 baskets
4New Life Beginnings -- 22 baskets
4Long Beach Health Dept., Black Infant Health -- 20 baskets
4Long Beach Health Dept., Pre-Natal Clinic/TB Clinic/CDHP Clinic -- 22 baskets

Some of the generous organizations that prepared baskets last year:

+Rogers Middle School (150 baskets!)
+Catalyst
+Open Door Ministries
+Glory Tabernacle Christian Center
+Boeing employees and BEAGLES (Boeing Employee Association for Gays, Lesbians, and Friends) Employee Resource Group
+Boeing's System's Engineering Young Engineers Group (SEYE)
+Several Boeing employees in Irvine
+Crossroads Churches
+Beaumont Mom's Club (Beaumont, CA)
+Lakewood High School
+Wilson High School
+Marty O'Malley's house party
+Bancroft Middle School
+Brownie Troop 192
+Special thanks to April Rivas (and her family), Liliane Roy, Ralph Millero and Nancy Buchanan for their help on this project.
+Employees at Holly's Hallmark, Fysicly Fit, 62nd Place Cafe, and Bungalow Bay
+Kathie Muehlebach, Christina Duthie, Gazette Newspapers