PARDEE HOMES DONATES $5,000 TO SANTEE SANTAS FOR LOCAL FAMILIES IN NEED

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December 23, 2013 (Santee) – As part of its commitment to the communities in which it builds, Pardee Homes announced on December 18 a $5,000 contribution to the Santee Santas Foundation to purchase food, toys and flowers for local families and seniors this holiday season. The grant, made possible through Pardee’s parent company, Weyerhaeuser, will help support the Santee Santas’ signature effort, an annual holiday children's toy and food program focused on bringing the holiday spirit to about 300 families in need.

“Pardee Homes is proud to partner with the Santee Santas Foundation to support local families in need during the holiday season,” said Jimmy Ayala, Director of Community Development for Pardee Homes. “We are pleased to be part of their efforts and hope these deliveries help make the holiday season happier and healthier for all participants.”

The Santee Santas Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1953 that has supported local families and seniors during the holidays with gifts, food and holiday flowers for 60 years. Santee Santas is an all-volunteer organization with school district employees, City of Santee staff, firefighters, local businesses, service organizations, mobile home parks and local citizens working together to make each year's endeavors successful. The number of volunteers each year ranges from 200 to 300 people helping with its food program, toy program and delivery day operations. All donations to the organization are used to assist families and seniors in need of help. In addition to toys, the Foundation provides food items such as turkeys, fresh produce, fresh dairy products and non-perishable food items so each family has enough food for a holiday meal and about three weeks of staple food items.

“The generous support from companies like Pardee and Weyerhaeuser has such a significant impact on our program and local families in need,” said Sam Modica, Santee Santas Foundation Board president. “For many of these families, this is their only chance to have gifts and a holiday meal. Our senior outreach program ensures seniors in our community who are living alone or in senior care facilities are not forgotten over the holidays. We receive numerous thank you letters throughout the year in follow up to our deliveries. It truly impacts people’s lives during a very important time.”

Last year, the Santee Santas Foundation provided assistance to more than 200 Santee families in crisis through its holiday program and emergency fund and expects to serve even more this year. It distributed toys to nearly 400 Santee children and gave out hundreds of poinsettias to seniors at retirement homes and mobile home parks throughout the City.


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