Nonprofit Ocean Beach Community Foundation is conducting its annual OB Food & Toy Drive on Dec. 16-24 at collection boxes throughout the neighborhood with OB Kiwanis handing out fliers and collecting donated goods.

Shelly Parks, president of OBCF, noted the OB Toy & Food Drive originated shortly after OB’s James Gang printers inaugurated the annual Christmas parade and community tree planting in the ‘80s on the beach at the end of Newport. She said the goal of the drive has always been to “give back to the community” for the needy year after year during the holidays with leftover funding from the parade.

Explaining the process involved in collecting and distributing donated toys and non-perishable food, Parks pointed out goods are collected at various drop-off sites and door-to-door by Kiwanis in November through early December. Goods are then funneled to the Masonic Lodge at 1711 Sunset Cliffs Blvd. for packaging before distribution. Volunteers then sort through goods flowing into the lodge creating care packages. That happens Monday through Thursday the week of distribution, before being delivered to the recipient’s doorsteps via volunteers that Saturday.

“We sort food by type, fruits and vegetables, and toys by age and gender according to a recipient list that each family has sent in to match up with each kiddo,” Parks said adding they also get foodstuffs donated by the local San Diego Food Bank and Grocery Outlet.

Parks noted food and toy packages are given out to around 100 families contacted through outreach to the Peninsula Cluster of schools and the Peninsula YMCA, as well as about 70 seniors at The Orchard in Midway and Peninsula Shepherd Center, which both identify older adults needing a little extra holiday.

Longtime OB Kiwanians Jim and Melanie Nickel said the service club’s direct involvement in collecting donated goods on doorsteps dates back to 2008. “I said to Melanie, who was in charge of organizing the event, “Why don’t we do something to help the food drive this year?,” said Jim adding, “I know people who want to donate but it’s such a hassle. So we came up with printing flyers to be distributed on people’s porches offering a free pick-up service.”

Jim that first year that they took what they’d collected to the Masonic Lodge, people were “overjoyed to see all the extra food we collected. So they asked us to do it again the next year.”

Jim Nickel said it takes about 20 volunteers to hand out 3,000 to 4,000 flyers annually to residences mostly in the core of OB. “As we got bigger, more and more Kiwanians and other people wanted to hand out flyers with us,” noted Melanie Nickel. “In one case, we had a woman and her child do it on each side of the street.”

Jim recalled one particularly poignant memory from past Kiwanis collection drives. “Some people are generous, particularly one woman who had been a recipient of the food and toy drive for several years,” he said. “One year she left a ton of food and toys, like 10 boxfuls on her porch with a note. It said, ‘I’m paying this forward. About five years ago I was a recipient of food at a time when it mattered in my life. Now I’m in a position to give it back.’”

“As a reminder to the community our iconic crooked (Christmas) tree, the OB Holiday Parade, and Food & Toy Drive could not happen without community support through donations and attendance at our fundraising events,” concluded Parks. “We’ve had a huge turnout at the pancake breakfast (September), Taste of OB (October), and our final fundraiser for the year at the Hoedown & Auction on Dec. 12 at the Harp. Come on out and show your support for neighbors and the community of OB.”

OB FOOD & TOY DRIVE COLLECTION POINTS

Drop new, unwrapped toys at collection locations throughout OB and Point Loma at Vervor – 4689 Voltaire St., Compass Realty – 1021 Rosecrans St., Pruett Realty – 1845 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., OB Business Center – 4967 Newport Ave., OBMA – 1868 Bacon St., #A, OB Library – 4801 Santa Monica Ave., Submerge Church – 1711 Sunset Cliffs Blvd. (Dec. 1 and 8), Law Office of Gallagher Bolander Smedley LLP – 1951 Cable St., Little House of Flowers – 1017 Rosecrans St. and 6090 Friars Road, Matt Kalla Insurance – 4148 Voltaire St. Santa Experience – Newport Avenue and Abbott Street (Dec. 7, 14, and 21, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.), Hugo’s Cocina – 1830 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., Joshua Lightcap, CFP, AAMS – 5083 Santa Monica Ave., #1A and Pioneer School – 4764 Santa Monica Ave.