The Downtown Long Beach Lions Club presented a donation of $1,500 to the Early Childhood Education program of the YMCA of Greater Long Beach on Friday, April 2.
The check, which was presented during a Lions Club meeting, was received by the Executive Director of Early Childhood Education Programs Andrea Sulsona.
The donation will be used to purchase 300 books for preschool children to take home, according to the President of Downtown Long Beach Lions Club Kirk Davis.
According to Davis, the Club’s main project has been providing free eye exams and glasses to LBUSD students in need, but because of COVID-19, the program has been on hold.
The club began looking for projects that could support children in Long Beach during the pandemic and chose the Early Childhood Education program of the YMCA of Greater Long Beach.
Davis spoke of the Lions Club’s excitement to partner with the organization during this time.
“We were excited to partner with another organization that makes reading and literacy a part of their work,” Davis told the Signal Tribune. “It is a privilege and a blessing for us to have the ability to make a positive impact on our community.”
Lions Clubs can be found internationally and locally according to the organization’s website. According to Davis, they organize service projects and activities that emphasize reading as well as address specific needs that relate to illiteracy within their own community.
Working to continue improving its own community, The Downtown Long Beach Lions Club is currently part of food distribution efforts in partnership with Puente Latino Association and Ricardo’s Nursery in North Long Beach.
The food distributions, which have been taking place since June 2020, take place the first and third Saturday of every month and have been possible thanks to a COVID Relief Grant from the Long Beach Community Foundation and support from the LA Regional Food Bank, according to Davis.
Additionally, the organization recently made a donation to support five children at the Salvation Army Long Beach Citadel for their Distance Learning Program, David added.
“This month our charities committee and board will be considering donations to children’s programs proposed by other Long Beach-based organizations,” he said. “We look forward to getting our student eyeglasses program back on track as schools start meeting in person again.
