Long Beach officials are asking the community to submit letters of encouragement to the migrant children being housed inside the Long Beach Convention Center after wrapping up a previous drive, in partnership with the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, that collected 30,000 toys and books.
The city is now asking for anyone wanting to write words of encouragement to the children living in the Convention Center over the next few months to drop them off at participating locations so they can be displayed at the Convention Center and given directly to the children living there.
Letters will be accepted from May 10 through May 22.
“It doesn’t surprise me that our community donated tens of thousands of toys and books for these children,” Mayor Robert Garcia said in a statement. “This is what Long Beach is all about. I’m looking forward to continuing to support these kids through this letter-writing campaign.”
Anyone wanting to send a letter is asked to write it on a standard 8.5 x 11 inch piece of paper and leave them unsealed if placed in an envelope. The letters should be one-sided and can be in English or Spanish. Letters can be dropped off at any of six Long Beach Public Library locations between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. They can also be dropped off at five hotels across the city from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Here is a list of participating locations:
- Billie Jean King Main Library, 200 W. Broadway
- Bay Shore Library, 195 Bay Shore Ave.
- Bret Harte Library, 1595 W. Willow St.
- Los Altos Library, 5614 Britton Dr.
- Mark Twain Library, 1401 E. Anaheim St.
- Michelle Obama Library, 5870 Atlantic Ave.
- Golden Sails Hotel, 6285 Pacific Coast Highway
- Hilton Long Beach, 701 W. Ocean Blvd.
- Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport, 2640 N. Lakewood Blvd.
- Long Beach Airport Marriott, 4700 Airport Plaza Drive
- Westin Long Beach, 333 E. Ocean Blvd.
“The last two weeks have been amazing. From the beginning, we were extremely impressed at the volume of donations coming from not only the Long Beach community but surrounding communities as well,” said Steve Goodling, President & CEO of the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Additionally, tax-deductible monetary donations can still be contributed through the Migrant Children Support Fund, launched by the Long Beach Community Foundation. Donations can be made online, or by mailing a check to the Long Beach Community Foundation at 400 Oceangate, Suite 800, Long Beach, CA 90802. Check donations should include “Migrant Children Support Fund” on the check designation.