December holiday toy and food drive

Teddy Bear Tree paper ornaments with a child's wish

Project Shepherd helps make the December holidays a bit more comfortable for Lakewood residents experiencing financial hardship. 

The program provides holiday meal fixings and gifts for children. Each year, more than 1,600 Lakewood residents, many of them children and seniors, receive support through this program. 

Apply for assistance

Applications open in November.

To learn how to apply or request registration assistance:

Applicants must:

  • Be Lakewood residents (verified by a current Lakewood mailing address and utility billing)
  • Meet income eligibility requirements

Ways to give

Teddy Bear Tree program

Teddy Bear Trees are set up at City Hall and Burns Community Center from mid-November to early December.

Each tree features paper teddy bear ornaments with a child's name, age and holiday gift wish. Community members can select an ornament, purchase the requested item and return the unwrapped gift with the teddy bear ornament to either City Hall or Burns Community Center. 

Gifts are distributed to the child's family along with holiday meal fixings.

You can also purchase items through Project Shepherd's Amazon Wish List for direct delivery to the program. 

Virtual Canned Food and Toy Drive

Support the program by making an online donation to help Project Shepherd purchase food and gifts for registered families. 

Donate to the Project Shepherd virtual food and toy drive.

All donations are tax-deductible.

Where to drop off donations

During the holiday program, food and gift donations may be dropped off at:

Burns Community Center (map and directions)
5510 Clark Avenue Monday through Friday - 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Call 562-925-7512 before dropping off items.

Lakewood City Hall (map and directions)  
5050 Clark Avenue
Monday through Thursday - 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and alternate Fridays, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Donation bins are available near the check-in station inside City Hall. Park in the Clark Avenue lot and enter through the westside entrance.

Accessibility

If you need assistance participating in this program, including applying, donating or volunteering, or would like to request an accommodation:

You may also contact the ADA Coordinator at ADACoordinator@lakewoodca.gov for additional assistance.

How to help

Your donations make the holiday brighter for Lakewood families in need.

 

How you can help:

 

Donate to canned food and toy drive

 

Your tax-deductible donation will go towards buying canned goods for holiday meal baskets or to provide a toy for a child in need (or both!). 

 

Purchase toys from Amazon Wish List

 

Easiest way to buy and deliver gifts as they will be shipped directly to Project Shepherd for distribution. 

 

What is Project Shepherd?

Project Shepherd is a non-profit organization run by the City of Lakewood and the Rotary Club of Lakewood.

 

Since 1972, this neighbor-to-neighbor assistance program has collected canned goods, dry staples, toys, backpacks and personal care items to distribute to Lakewood families in need throughout the year and around the holiday season.

 

Visit the Project Shepherd page

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