This past holiday season, FilmL.A. teamed up with local productions to take part in a holiday toy and basic needs drive for residents of the Five Acres Orphanage and Foster Home in Altadena. Last year marked FilmL.A.’s third year of participation.
Five Acres has been serving Southern California for 127 years by promoting safe, loving and permanent family solutions for vulnerable children and their families. Since it was founded in 1888, Five Acres has expanded to care for 8,500 children and families annually across five counties. Program residents range from newborns to young adults.
For the toy drive program, participants created a small wish list of items they hoped to receive. Participants’ names, ages and gifts of choice were then shared with partner organizations like FilmL.A., looking for a way to give back for the holidays. FilmL.A. used an Angel Tree display to communicate participants’ needs to its employees.
FilmL.A.’s participation is coordinated by Jodi Strong, Director of Production Planning. “I’m proud to have organized this event for our third year. FilmL.A. staff get so excited when the tree goes up and they can pick an ornament or two,” Strong said.
In addition to individual staffer donations, this year, FilmL.A.’s Executive team donated $1000 to the Angel Tree program for participants who requested bedding.
Donations were retrieved from FilmL.A. and delivered to Five Acres and the Holiday Helpers, a group of volunteers who come in and help staff organize and sort holiday donations, greet donors and help inventory all donations received.
Last year’s industry partners included cast and crews of Teen Wolf, Criminal Minds, Without Boarders, Criminal Minds (Transportation), Scandal, Fresh off the Boat, Castle, The Sentence, Walt Disney Studios (Legal Department) and ABC Studios (Production and Post Production Departments).
“It’s great to know that our participation helps to brighten the holidays for the children who benefit from Five Acres,” Strong said. “Thank you to Jennifer Dunne from Teen Wolf for spearheading this each year and for asking FilmL.A. to be involved!”
Those who wish to learn more about Five Acres can do so on the organization’s website.