
On Jan. 26, the Teen Service Corps (TSC), a community service group, held a clothing drive to raise money for citizens impacted by the recent Los Angeles fires. The drive was held outside St. Hilary Parish in Tiburon, where donation bins collected clothing, toiletries and games. Juniors Jamie Glennon, Gigi Walravens and Renata Lionetti led the drive, spanning from 9:45 a.m. to 6 p.m.
On Jan. 7, fueled by dry weather and strong winds, a series of multiple fires swept through Los Angeles California resulting in thousands of people losing their homes, belongings and communities. TSC realized the importance and relevance of this issue, taking action through a supply drive and gathering any necessities victims of the fire might need.
Walravens is co-president of the TSC organization. Walravens’ older brother, Matthew Walravens, began TSC in 2012, working with Saint Hillary to give back. Her brother helped feed the homeless in Marin as well as tend to Marin’s gardens.
“[We] organize this effort through St. Thomas’s church in Pasadena, which helps us bring creative and interactive elements to fundraising [outside of the Bay Area]. By combining faith and community, we aim to make a real difference and show how teens can lead efforts to support those in time-based crises,” Walravens said.
Many people often forget that stores and markets are burned down along with houses that are impacted by wildfires. Lionetti, vice president of TSC, explains how their service combats these difficult problems such as the need for necessities.
“You can imagine the stores [in LA] are probably all sold out. What we’re really trying to get out of this event is helping people in the LA fires, but more specifically with the necessary items. They have so many clothes that they’re [being] given. It’s more the little things that you kind of forget about in life, like shampoo and conditioner and toothbrushes,” Lionetti said.
Lionetti also highlights the importance of financial donations.
“We’re [also] trying to not only give clothes but also get money donations because that’s ultimately what they need,” Lionetti said.
By finding new opportunities to give back, Walravens emphasizes that a small event can make a big difference for communities in need.
“Every month, we try to find a new local community that we can help. It can be small, it can be big — it could be turkeys for a turkey drive. It doesn’t have to [be] that big of a deal, but just something that can help our community,” Walravens said.
The donation bins at Saint Hilary’s are open all week and into this upcoming weekend. Next week, items will be driven to Pasadena, where they will be distributed to people in need. You can find more information about TSC at https://teenserviceusa.com/. If you or someone you know is interested in donating to support those impacted by the LA fires, visit the TSC Venmo link below.