West Valley Group Spreads Hope While Helping Homeless
WEST HILLS (CBSLA) — More than 65,000 men, women and children spend their nights either on the streets or without a home to call their own in Los Angeles County.
But one West Hills group, The Sunshine Club, is doing what it can to help the unhoused population find comfort and community.
"It's just a bunch of people getting together, trying to do something nice for their community and for our homeless friends," Aida Abkarians, who co-founded the group, said. "If we can help them in any shape and form, it's good."
When Abkarians founded the group with Daniel Brin and Esperanza Butler, the idea was to share warmth and support with their West Hills neighbors — through good times and bad.
"Whenever there is a necessity, we collect for the homeless," she said. "Shampoos, toothpaste, toothbrushes, whatever a person would need."
The donations are then organized into individual bags and handed out to those in need. Abkarians said every time they do a drive, personal care items are provided to between 300 and 500 people. But there's one donation she said the group will not accept.
"We don't accept any cash from people," she said. "We just want people to donate goods."
Abkarians believes that by purchasing items meant for others, people feel the "beauty of participation" and become part of the group working to make life just a little bit better.
"We don't have money, we can't buy you a house or an apartment, but we can surely get you clean underwear," she said. "People can always come to us. We are always open."
And despite the work Abkarians has done for the group, she said none of it would be possible without the countless community volunteers and her cofounders.