Looking for a chance to give back this holiday season? Jack Smith and the One Day Christmas Store have the perfect opportunity for you.
The One Day Christmas Store will be held this Saturday, December 20, and provide families in need the chance to shop for great holiday gifts for their loved ones. Organizers hire a professional buyer to purchase toys and gifts at wholesale prices, and they’re brought to the One Day Store for families to pick out. Last year, more than 300 local families benefited from the store. This year, Smith expects more than 450.
“We went around to all of the Councilmembers, and they really helped us find qualified families,” says Smith, who organizes the 2nd annual event.
The families have already been selected and will receive tickets upon arriving at the event, held at First Congregational Church at 241 Cedar Ave. Adults are taken to an area with children’s toys and children are taken to an area with gifts for adults, where they’ll select gifts for their loved ones and have them wrapped at the wrapping station manned by volunteers.
Smith can always use extra help, and is currently asking anyone interested in volunteering to contact him at [email protected]. There are two day shifts, consisting of a “Build” team that stocks tables and assists customers, and a closing team to assist customers and pack up leftover gifts. The first shift is from 8:00am – 1:30pm, and the second is from 12:30pm – 6:00pm.
Also needed are truck loaders – after the first group who agreed to help cancelled – that are needed from 6:30am – 9:00am to open and 4:00pm – 6:30pm to close.
Mayor Foster and wife Nancy will attend at 10:00am for the store’s grand opening ceremony.
Contact Smith or visit betterbalancelongbeach.org for more information.
By Ryan ZumMallen, Managing Editor