This is the season for giving as well as receiving. We at WEHOville.com want to help you find ways to show your thanks and help others with this charitable gift-giving guide. We invite charities or organizations based in West Hollywood or which serve West Hollywood residents to let us know about charitable events or donation campaigns for inclusion in this guide. We’ll update it throughout the holiday season.
Email the information to me at Henry@WEHOville.com
Henry (Hank) Scott, Publisher
Donate Food and Rock & Reilly’s Donates Drinks
Correctly observing that if the world really ends on Friday, there’s no need to worry about a hangover, Rock & Reilly’s Irish Rock Pub is celebrating the Dec. 21 Mayan holiday with free “apocalyse punch.” What’s the catch? You have to donate canned goods that will be carted to LA Food Bank if, as rumored, we’re all going to have to get up Saturday and start life all over. Rock & Reilly’s is at 8911 Sunset Blvd. across the street from the intersection with San Vicente.
Laugh Factory Hosts Christmas Dinner for the Needy with Top Comedians as Volunteers
For the 33rd year in a row, the Laugh Factory is hosting a Christmas dinner offering food, fun and comedy to the homeless, the underprivileged, and anyone alone on Christmas.
Dinner will be served at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. on Christmas Day at the Laugh Factory at 8001 Sunset Blvd. between Laurel Canyon and Fairfax. Top comedians including Arsenio Hall, Dane Cook, Dom Irrera, Kevin Nealon, Tom Arnold, Paul Mooney, Paul Rodriguez and Tom Dreesen will greet and help serve guests, as well as perform live shows following each of four meals served throughout the day.
“Spending the holidays alone is no laughing matter, especially in today’s economy,” said Laugh Factory owner Jamie Masada “Many people have no family here. We create a welcoming atmosphere of family, fun and good cheer.”
For more information, please visit LaughFactory.com.
AHF Toy Box Party to Benefit Those with HIV/AIDS
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s 12th annual Toy Box party is this coming Saturday (Dec. 8) at WeHo Winter Wonderland.
That area, at El Tovar Place off Robertson Boulevard, gets transformed every holiday season into a magical spot for those sunny Southern Californians who wonder what winter might be like. This year, unwrapped gift will get you admission in Winter Wonderland, where you’ll find free drinks and free photos with Santa himself. Parking is available in the adjacent West Hollywood Library parking garage.
The toys donated will bring Christmas to Southern California families affected by AIDS and HIV. They include clients of AHF, based in Los Angeles and the largest provider of healthcare to HIV/AIDS sufferers in the US, AIDS Project Los Angeles, Bienestar and the Whitter Rio Hondo AIDS project. AHF hopes to collect 100,000 toys this year.
The event, which begins at 5 p.m., is co-sponsored by the City of West Hollywood, which recognized the annual Toy Box party earlier this year as the non-profit event of the year.
Jewish Women’s Council Hosts Annual Clothing Giveaway
The National Council of Jewish Women/Los Angeles will be distributing at least 85,000 pieces of clothing, stuffed animals and children’s books to an expected 5,000 in-need and at-risk individuals Sunday (Dec. 2) at its annual Clothing Giveaway and Community Resource Fair. The fair will be staged from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at NCJW’s Council House at 543 N. Fairfax Ave, one block south of Melrose. The items include donations collected at NCJW/LA’s nine Council Thrift Shops. The event’s sponsor is NBC Southern California. Channel 4 News weathercaster Fritz Coleman is scheduled to make a guest appearance. Other organizations will be on site to distribute information about their programs and services. Participating organizations include NCJW/LA Women Helping Women Community Counseling & Support Services, Council Thrift Shops, the City of Los Angeles, Clinica Romero, Jewish Vocational Service, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Peace Over Violence, People Assisting the Homeless, Sojourn, and the City of West Hollywood.
The Roxy Wraps Rap and Toys for a Fun Evening
The Roxy Theatre is combining entertainment and good will in a toy drive Dec. 6 that will feature Southern California rappers Pacdiv, Tiron & Ayomari, Thurz and Shawn Chrys and Indiana’s Gentlemen Alphonse.
The event begins at 9 p.m. at the Roxy, 9009 Sunset Blvd. near Wetherly. Tickets are $15 general admission and $10 if you donate a toy. The toys will go to needy children at Children’s Hospital L.A.
DJs will include Sean G, Val the Vandle, Prints and Paul Printz.
Pacdiv, also known as Pacific Division, is a rap trio that originated in Southern California and is signed to Universal Motown Records. It is composed of two brothers, Like and Mibbs, and their long-time friend and acquaintance BeYoung. Los Angeles rappers TiRon Jeffries and Ayomari, whose “A Sucker for Pumps” was released a little more than a year ago, have distinguished themselves with a focus on treating women in their music as more than sex objects.
Yannick “Thurz” Koffi is a member of U-N-I, a hip hop duo from Inglewood. U-N-I is known for rejecting the Gangsta rap style and won the 2008 MTV Video Music Award for “Best Breakout LA Artist.” On April 2 Thurz performed for the first time as a solo artist at The 2011 Paid Dues Festival in San Bernardino In February 2011 he announced he would be putting out a solo album entitled L.A. Riot.
Shawn Chrystopher Garrett II (better known as Shawn Chrys, was born and raised in Inglewood. In December 2010 he released his third full length album, “You, And Only You,” led by the hit single “Catch Me If You Can”, which drew raves from top music industry magazines.
In grade school, Chrystopher skipped from kindergarten to 2nd grade, resulting in him graduating high school at the age of 16. Upon graduation, Shawn was awarded a 4 1/2 year scholarship to the University of Southern California where he would major in political science.
Indiana-born Gentlemen Alphonse, now an Angeleno, bills himself as a management and brand development consultant as well as a songwriter and recording artist. His productions include Soul Cinema, produced with Indiana’s alpha.live and Nightsons LLC.
LAGLC Hosts Clothing Donation Party at Eleven
The Young Professionals Council of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center is hosting its sixth annual Threads of Change clothing drive party on Dec. 9 from noon to 4 p.m. at Eleven nightclub in West Hollywood. Admission is free, and guests who donate a bag of gently used clothes will receive a complimentary mimosa. Hundreds of homeless LGBT young people turn to the Center for food, shelter, support and clothing every month. Each month, the Center distributes about 1,200 items of clothing, including jeans, T-shirts, shoes and other apparel.
Those unable to attend the clothing drive and party can drop off donations at the Highland Annex, 1220 N. Highland Ave. south of Fountain, any day between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Pink Taco’s Turkey Tailgate Benefits Sandy Victims
You can help survivors of Hurricane Sandy and have some pre-Thanksgiving fun at Pink Taco. Its Turkey Tailgate party at 8225 W. Sunset Blvd. near Marmount is Wednesday (Nov. 21) from 8 p.m. to midnight. Turkey Tailgate features performances by Black Crystal Wolf Kids and drink specials (not to mention Pink Taco’s amazing Mexican food). A portion of the proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross Hurricane Sandy Relief fund.
WeHo Launches Annual Food and Toy Drive
The City of West Hollywood and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have launched the 22nd annual WeHo Food and Toy Drive. Donations to the drive, which the city hopes will serve more than 900 families, are accepted through Dec. 24.
The goal is to provide families in need with a holiday meal and two toys for every child. The city works with area school guidance counselors, teachers and principals to identify families in need of assistance.
The cost to help one family is $65. You can help three families with a donation of $165. New and unwrapped toys, clothing and store coupons also are needed. Bring donations to the cashier’s window at West Hollywood City Hall, 8300 Santa Monica Blvd. at Sweetzer.
For more information, call Bonnie Smith or Kristin Cook in the city’s Public Safety Division at (323) 848-6371. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call (323) 848-6496.
