Lisa Ray from Lisa Ray's Donation Group (soon to be officially the Children's Resource Group of the CentralCoast) was introduced by Club Service Program Chair Robert Robert. Her organization helps local children in need by providing clothing, shoes, backpacks, school supplies, Halloween costumes, Thanksgiving meals and Christmas presents. Lisa started the organization two years ago by reaching out to her friends on Facebook to help one single mom in need, and her efforts have grown through word of mouth to become a leading resource for family advocates and local agencies that cater to families living in poverty.
The resource group has partnered with the Back to School program and has provided backpacks, shoes and 3000 items of clothing to needy children. They outgrew their location in the OceanoCommunity Center in just two months, so she converted her Daycare business in her home into a donation center. She is currently in search of a larger space in the Five Cities Area. She has helped over 2000 local children in need since the group's inception. Junior high, high school and college students help as volunteers to sort donations. They have become a legitimate 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and are growing by leaps and bounds. Charter Media, Rabobank, Coca-Cola came on board as sponsors and are helping the organization evolve. Financial assistance is needed as a bridge from the Lisa Ray Donation Group to become the Children's Resource Network.
She needs backpacks today, as the new school year is right around the corner. Skateboarder-styled clothes are always in demand. She also does Women's Clothing Giveaways quarterly to help the single mothers in need and to distribute new donated diapers. The success in her mission to help local children in need is due to the simple recycling, transferring discards from those who have, to those in need. Lisa Ray's army of volunteers are primarily kids and young adults and she uses Facebook to get the message out on what is needed most. Donations can be left at Albertsons, where there is a donation bin at each entrance or at her home.
