Every year, I say, ‘I’m not doing this again,’ and then literally the next week, I start preparing to do it all over again. A labor of love? More like a labor of necessity, and as usual, I’m begging for your help. Yours. Yes, you. Big or small, your donations help me create a ‘thank you’ event for School Social Workers in northern Los Angeles, as part of National Social Work Month. (That’s ‘the valley’ to you non-locals).

Every year, the children and families we serve have our ‘typical’ personal tragedies and triumphs: lockdowns, deaths, fires, suicides, car accidents, self-harm, mental health crises, and more. And every year, there seems to be some add-on stressor that makes our jobs increasingly difficult. Last year, it was fires that devastated communities. This year, it’s immigration raids. Families torn apart, livelihoods destroyed, children unable to get through their school days without fear of who might NOT come to pick them up after school.

Sure, we are salaried. But once a year, saying ‘thanks’ through small gift cards, drawings for gift baskets (created with donated items), and sweet treats goes a looooong way. The district does not have a budget for this event. I contribute a few hundred of my own $$$, and the rest is donations! They LET me do it because I want to.

160 of us, in need of a cup of coffee, an ice cream cone, a trip to Trader Joe’s, a haircut, a face mask, a bowling night. Something to say, ‘Yeah, we see you. Thank you!’

So, how about sending a school social worker that $10 you were going to spend on a venti iced white hazelnut nonfat half-caf?!?

Collecting until February 28th! Give now, give again!! And thank YOU!!!

Every year,