Mentoring Men to Lead - Operation ELF

Description

Since 2001, Volunteers in the San Francisco Bay Area have collected toys, clothing,foodstuffs and donations for needy families in the Sacramento and Bay Area communities. Operation ELF (Everybody Loves Families) has served over 300 families by bringing each family holiday spirit through gifts, food and grocery gift cards to help make their holidays a little brighter. Hundreds of volunteers, organized by MDI, MML and other community organizations, have gathered together each year to ensure that low-income families are taken care of during the holidays. We work with churches, social services and schools to identify distressed families and volunteers then meet with each family to determine their need. Once they are qualified, a volunteer is assigned to sponsor the family, while the ELF team gathers gifts, food and cash to be distributed to the families. 100% of the cash and donations gathered are distributed to the families. Operation ELF also serves Women’s shelters and group homes.

In the past 12 years, Operation ELF has raised almost $100,000 and served hundreds of needy families, making their holidays a little brighter!