LAKEPORT, Calif. – When the Valley fire raged through Cobb Mountain, flames incinerated Sabrina Bailey’s home and belongings.
Like many survivors of the fire, she, her husband, and three children were displaced. Three months later, her family has resettled in Kelseyville and is striving for normalcy.
Amidst rebuilding what the fire destroyed, Bailey is giving back. As a registered nurse at Sutter Lakeside Hospital, she seized the opportunity to participate in the hospital’s yearly toy drive and purchased Christmas gifts for four needy children.
“I picked a pair of newborn twins, a seven year old girl and a two year old boy,” said Bailey. “I chose three lists because I have three kids myself, who helped me wrap the presents. Others have been so generous towards us in the aftermath of the fire; we felt a tug at our heartstrings to pay it forward.
“Shopping for the kids has been so fun – it’s a break from replacing what we lost. We’ve enjoyed thinking about what would excite a child, versus realizing we need a pair of scissors. I wouldn’t mind never seeing an Amazon box again,” she said.
Sutter Lakeside Hospital has partnered with Lake Family Resource Center for more than 10 years to support struggling families during the holidays.
Nearly half of all children in California live below the poverty line, a trend that is forecast to increase. In Lake County, one in four families lives in poverty.
“We sponsored 167 children from ages zero to seventeen this year,” said Jackie Rad, RN, Family Birth Center and respiratory therapy manager, who spearheaded the toy drive. “A lot of staff members chose to support multiple children by buying gifts or donating money, and we raised over $600 at our employee holiday party. Toy donations from staff came in by the car load. It was great to buy meaningful gifts for the kids on our list.”
“We rely on Sutter Lakeside Hospital year after year, because the hospital is always our biggest donor by far,” said Kim Gentle, director of Early Headstart for Lake Family Resource Center. “We appreciate the help and generosity of the hospital and always look forward to seeing what gifts the [hospital] staff provides. It’s great to see the looks parents’ faces when they receive gifts for their children. We leave it up to the parents to present the gifts however they’d like, and we hear year after year from families that they wouldn’t be able to have a Christmas without us.”
Lake Family Resource Center, a federally funded non-profit, provides programs such as nutritional education, domestic violence support groups, parenting workshops, early childhood development services, behavioral health services, and home based services like infant care training. The annual toy drive provides presents for any child of the 600+ families who participate in LFRC’s programs.
“The holidays can be hard for families who are struggling, and we’re so fortunate to have staff members willing to support our community despite personal hardship,” said Siri Nelson, chief administrative officer, Sutter Lakeside Hospital. “I’ve witnessed firsthand the generous spirit of our employees throughout the fires and into the holiday season. We’re proud to partner with Lake Family Resource Center to make a positive impact on Lake County.”
