Neisha’s Dance and Music Academy has partnered with Chula Vista Police Activities League to support the annual food and toy drive that typically receives donations from families through local schools.
With schools issuing lessons online in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the donation bins usually found on campuses this time of year have been tucked away and the league had to come up with a different approach for 2020, such as shifting donation bins to local businesses.
President of Police Activities League Vanessa McEvoy said the league is dedicated to helping underserved and at-risk youth but not having schools as donation collection sites is a major challenge this year.
“We partner with Chula Vista Welfare Council and the ChulaVista school district each year on a food and toy drive for families facing food insecurity on break. Last year, we served 1,300 children collectively, this year we’re expecting those numbers to increase. At the same time, 95% of schools in this area aren’t holding classes in person so we’ve essentially been cut off from a major donation source,” McEvoy said.
Enter local businesses like Neisha’s Dance and Music Academy where owner Neisha Hernandez has children and their families regularly pass through the studio and typically participates in a holiday-related fundraiser.
“Each November, our school holds a Groove With Gratitude program with kids helping kids. Normally, it is more international like Baja California, Uganda, Haiti. This year, we had a specific incident come up locally and found out about the need and this local program,” Hernandez said.
The studio is gathering canned food to help children and their families with food insecurity during the holidays, unwrapped toys for children and gift cards for older children and young teens.
Bins have been placed outside the studio so donors can drive up and remain distanced while delivering unwrapped toys and other donations from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays at 870 Jetty Lane.
“We are asking all of our families to donate because it is part of our culture, teaching our students to learn about serving their fellow community members. However, this also gives the community a way to donate,” Hernandez said.
So far, she said, the students have been “so excited to donate— they brought gift cards, two toys, several canned items and they were giddy” at adding to the collection bin.
McEvoy and Hernandez both said teenagers are one of the toughest groups to provide for and said gift cards for places where teens can socialize at a distance, shop for small items of their choice or simply take time for themselves.
“We don’t want to forget they lost so much of this year and their high school experience. Gift cards to places like Starbucks, Jamba Juice, Sephora are all good, things teens want to go to and enjoy, even if it is only 30 or 45 minutes of distraction,” McEvoy said.
In addition to the bins Hernandez places outside the studio to collect donations, McEvoy said the police league held one donation drive already — a Give-and-Treat drive — and is planning to hold at least two more donation similar drives: a Nov. 7 event at Loma Verde elementary school, located at 1450 Loma Lane and a Nov. 14 event at the Chula Vista school district site, 84 East J St.
“We’re also trying to find more community members who still have foot traffic to get donations- eateries and places like the dance and music studio. We could not be more grateful that Neisha is partnering with us for this year. We’re seeing it as an opportunity for the community to come together and organizations like Neisha’s that are willing to open the doors for us and provide help is tremendous,” McEvoy said.
She also said donations can be made directly through the league’s website at www.cvpal.org.
“We’re relying on our community more than ever and we hope other businesses will reach out and help out,” McEvoy said.
