UVSA holding clothing, toy drives to help those in need

Thuy Phan/Nguoi Viet

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. ― Each year, when the temperatures drop, the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations collaborates with other local organizations to help those who can use a holidayboost. This year’s mission: to collect clothing and toys for those in need.

Student volunteers help sort the donations in years past. (Photo: Courtesy UVSA)

The student group has partnered with Operation Warmth and the Miss Vietnam of Southern California Pageant and is collecting gently used jackets, sweaters, socks, toiletries and sleeping bags. The organization then will turn over the items collected to Operation Warmth for distribution.

This is not the first time the student-run organization has teamed with Operation Warmth; UVSA did so in 2010 with great success, organizers said. UVSA and the Miss Vietnam of Southern California Pageant will collect items at the UVSA office, 12831 Western Ave., Suite B., in Garden Grove weekends until Dec. 20. Items can be dropped off Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Additionally, on Dec.18, drop off times will be from noon until 5 p.m.

The Union of Vietnamese Students Association has worked with Operation Warmth in years past to collect clothes for those in need. (Photo: Courtesy UVSA)

In addition to clothes and warm jackets, the students also are collecting soap and shampoo and other toiletries to make personal-care kits.While this is the project that is taken on by the contestants for the Miss Vietnam of Southern California Pageant, Alan Trinh, the pageant director, said participation won’t factor into the judging when the time comes. The pageant is scheduled for Feb. 12 in Costa Mesa.

The Miss Vietnam Southern California Pageant takes on a charity project each year and chose to partner with Operation Warmth for the 2015-16 year. (Photo: Courtesy UVSA)

“We hear this year’s El Niño weather pattern will be the coldest yet,” Trinh said, “and we hope to use this opportunity to collect these items to help those who need warm clothes this season.”

The official flyer to kick off their campaign. (Courtesy UVSA)

In addition, UVSA is holding a Winter Toy Drive to benefit the Garden Grove firefighters’ Spark of Love campaign. The dropoff location is the same as that of the clothing drive, and toys will be collected each Sunday at the same time as the clothing collection.

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1684241741863123