LAMONT. CALIF, (KERO) — Lamont’s Christmas of Care delivered holiday cheer to over 300 children, offering toys, food boxes, and health services in a heartwarming display of community spirit.
- About 600 attendees participated, and nearly 400 toys were distributed to children.
- Families received not only toys but also food boxes, items from CAPK, and access to essential health resources.
- The event followed another successful giveaway at the Kern County Fairgrounds, where 1,600 toys were distributed.
Over 300 children and families gathered to celebrate the joy of the season at Lamont’s First Annual Christmas of Care Toy Giveaway. The event was filled with holiday cheer and goodwill, aiming to bring smiles to families across the community.
“This is the happiest time of the year, so we wanted to see the sparkle in the families, especially the rural families,” said Ajay Anand, founder of the Anand Legacy Foundation.
Anand was among the key sponsors who helped organize the giveaway, with a mission to brighten the holidays for local families.
“As you can see here, the kids behind me, and the ones who have already received their toys, you can see the cheer and happiness of the holidays, and that’s really the driving force,” Anand added.
The event, held at Kern County’s Family Justice Center, drew more than 600 attendees and provided nearly 400 toys to children in need.
“We love this, we love seeing families happy and whole. We want this community to be safe and want them to understand that we at the District Attorney's office and the Family Justice Center, we really want to help them,” said Cynthia Zimmer.
Zimmer noted that the event offered more than just toys. Families also received food boxes, items from CAPK, and access to essential health resources, such as flu shots.
“Public health is here giving out flu shots, I just got one,” she shared.
Organizers highlighted the extensive planning and resources required to host an event of this scale.
“An event like this is gonna take about $25,000 dollars or more to put on because there’s a lot of things you need to put this on,” explained NaTesha Johnson, founder of Upside Academy.
Johnson brought her expertise to Lamont after organizing a successful toy giveaway at the Kern County Fairgrounds the previous week.
“We just gave out 1,600 toys at the Kern County Fairgrounds last week, and now we have joined Lamont, bringing toys to our rural communities,” Johnson said.
Johnson emphasized that the event was about more than just giving toys.
“If we can give them a little bit of Christmas, whether that’s a toy, food, something, I want them to take it and hopefully pay it forward when they get older,” she added.
Organizers plan to make the Christmas of Care Toy Giveaway an annual tradition, with hopes of making it bigger and better every year. The event stands as a testament to the power of community, spreading hope and joy during the holiday season.
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