For Cristina Wyatt, making a difference means giving back wherever she can.
She may not have a lot of funds to donate to local organizations providing essential resources, but what she does have is time.
She’s always wanted to volunteer at the Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry, and took advantage of an opportunity to do so on Saturday morning.
As part of the city of Santa Clarita’s “Make a Difference Day,” an annual tradition and initiative to get residents involved with community service, Wyatt made her way to the Food Pantry and put on some gloves to pass out food and other resources for those in need.
Approximately 25 sites, including city-owned and nonprofit organizations, were receiving some form of service from volunteers who chose to participate in the morning event.
Those organizations included the Salvation Army Santa Clarita Valley, Finally Family Homes, American Cancer Society and the ARTree Community Arts Center.
With city sites, volunteers were given beautification tasks such as graffiti removal, cleanups and gardening, all while simultaneously forming new connections.
Valencia High School senior Kian Punzalan and his father Jon Punzalan also joined the effort, and all three with the help of other regular volunteers were all hands-on deck throughout the morning at the pantry.
Now retired with her children fully grown, being of service to the community and helping others is something she “can put energy in because we all need purpose,” Wyatt said.
SCV Food Pantry Operations Manager Michael Lopez was filled with gratitude for the volunteers, regulars and those present for the morning event because, “truthfully, I don’t think we’d be able to operate without volunteers. They are what makes the wheels keep going to this place.”
The pantry services 7,000 to 10,000 clients a month with donated food and toiletries, Lopez added, and many moving parts are needed to make the organization run.
For Lopez, being a part of a group of people giving back is a way to repay what he once received. When he was younger, his family were clients of a church’s food pantry.
“I feel like a lot of us , we see the struggles … I feel at times I’m helpless, I’m useless, I can’t do much, but with this job, I can help out the people around me. That brings me some sort of peace of mind,” Lopez said, adding he believes many volunteers at the pantry may believe or feel the same way.
Just down the street along Railroad Avenue, at the ARTree Community Arts Center, volunteers were not only provided an outlet for their volunteerism but also had the chance to activate their artistic minds.
Volunteers were tasked with creating artwork on rocks that would be placed outside the ARTree Community Arts Center to help create an artistic and welcoming environment for guests and visitors. It was also a way for volunteers to express themselves through paint, said Kay Kaminski, teaching artist and president of the organization.
“There’s always a little story behind what they’ve done. It gives them a way to give back and something they can leave of themselves … be proud and come and visit it again,” Kaminski said.
The organization provides a series of art-focused programs, classes and scholarships, and with the “Make a Difference Day” initiative, she hopes it’ll bring in more volunteers throughout the year to assist in classes, projects and community events.
Volunteer Silvia Sinlao took it a bit further with her artistic abilities and created a fall season illustration with pumpkins, leaves and squirrels on one of the center’s large windows to create an inviting space. She usually creates art using a computer, but she exchanged a keyboard for some markers to bring her drawing to life.
Her daughter Alessandra, who is a city employee, encouraged her to volunteer on Saturday and “it’s actually a lot of fun,” she said. The opportunity has also allowed her and her family to get familiar with many organizations in the area, she added.
“It’s really nice to give back to our community and just take time to kind of enjoy ourselves as a family and support our daughter,” she said.
“I would also say it’s kind of inspiring to see the community come together and then work towards a goal,” said Val Sinlao, Silvia’s husband and Alessandra’s father. After finishing his painted rock, he sat on a chair and watched Silvia work her artistic magic.
“Whether it’s teaming up with the community or coming in to create art for people to enjoy, it’s just inspiring,” he said.
