in need

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Stay-at-Home orders as a result of the pandemic have been hard on everyone but the "Feel Good Movement" in South Lake Tahoe has been a force in the creation of joy.

For Bread & Bread there is so much to be thankful for as the year 2020 comes to an end. The organization would like to acknowledge all of the members of the Lake Tahoe South Shore community who have so generously supported our efforts to feed and help those in need during this holiday season.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Christmas is going to be merrier for families on the south shore after an outpouring of support for those less fortunate this holiday season. There have been toy and food drives, and one of those recently held was by The Shops at Heavenly Village and Dreu Murin Productions.

It was a great honor to serve as a member of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) Board of Trustees for the last four years. As previously reported, I am stepping aside to focus on my career and raising my beautiful baby girl. I said many times while I was on the Board that every family in the District was my family, and every child in the District was my responsibility. Now that I have a child of my own, I think the parents of LTUSD will understand when I say that I need to focus on my own family for the time being.

With the holidays already upon us, one thing is certain this year – the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on millions of Californians, causing us to rethink so much of our daily lives, including reprioritizing family time and our mental health. The holiday season may add more challenges to parents who are balancing career, teacher and caregiver duties, as well as dealing with unanticipated illness, burnout and unemployment. Each of these challenges, for some of us, can make the season feel like the added pressures are insurmountable.

Christmas Cheer, the South Lake Tahoe-based food pantry, is in need of food to give to the local community. The Tahoe Chamber has teamed up with a chamber member who is matching donations of food and cash given to Christmas Cheer this season up to $1,500.

All donating with locally purchased items and donated funds are eligible for the Chamber's Go Local Passport program. Spending locally gives the donator entries into the passport's $500 grand prize.

What is needed most this week at Christmas Cheer are hams and turkeys.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Overland Meat & Seafood Company will once again pay-it-forward in South Lake Tahoe and give away hamburger to those in need of some help with putting food on the table during these trying times. The new giveaway day is Monday, December 14 starting at 10:00 a.m.

Brian Cohen, owner of the popular market in South Lake Tahoe, will be continuing what they have now done four different times since the beginning of the pandemic. So far they have given away thousands of pounds of hamburger to people in the community.

It was the first year the Lucky Beaver Bar and Burger at Stateline held a toy drive for the South Shore, and it was a big success with organizer Dreu Murin saying over $10,000 worth of toys donated to children in the community.

Christmas Cheer, the South Lake Tahoe nonprofit that helps feed locals in need all year was also in need of toys to help bring joy during such trying times. Tom Davis of Christmas Cheer joined up with Murin and other community members to organize the event which brought toys from far and wide to Lake Tahoe on December 6.

Over the past ten years, the South Lake Tahoe Moose Lodge has donated 50 Christmas food boxes annually to local families, delivering the boxes in recent years to the South Lake Tahoe Family Resource Center for distribution to families in need.

These boxes contained a complete Christmas Ham dinner for a family of four, plus enough extra food to last for several additional meals. But, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this year the Lodge was unable to hold its normal fundraisers and food collections to put the boxes together.

The South Tahoe Public Utility District Board of Directors extended the COVID-19 Rate Relief Program to assist residents and businesses that are facing financial
hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The District’s COVID-19 Rate Relief Program offers a 50% credit up to $3,000 for the next quarterly sewer bill for customers in need.

“We’re extending the rate relief program because our community just entered another phase of restrictions, which could cause economic hardship for our customers,” says Randy Vogelgesang, Board President.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The local Cricket Wireless store wants to help those in need fill their Thanksgiving tables this season.

From now until November 21, local families can stop by the Cricket store at 3442 Lake Tahoe Boulevard and register for a free turkey or any other necessities needed for their Thanksgiving dinner.

Sign up during the following times:
Monday - Saturday: 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sunday - 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Bread & Broth is seeking donations for a Thanksgiving Meal Giveaway that will be distributed on Monday, November 23, 2020 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at St. Theresa Grace Hall in South Lake Tahoe.

During past Thanksgiving holidays, Bread & Broth has sponsored a hot Thanksgiving turkey dinner with all the trimmings, once that guests could enjoy with the fellowship of others in the community. During those dinners over 250 individuals joined in the special holiday meal.

This year will have to be different due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

Domestic violence, as known as intimate partner violence, is an issue that touches every community. There were 265 reports of domestic violence in South Lake Tahoe, including domestic disturbance, domestic battery, and domestic assault from January 1, 2019, until October 9, 2020. There are many forms of abuse, besides physical assault, that constitute domestic violence.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There are three open seats on the South Tahoe Public Utility Board of Directors this election season, two for a four-year term and one for a two-year term.

South Tahoe Now reached out to the candidates and below are their answers to a set of questions. For the two four-year terms, incumbent Kelly Sheehan is running for reelection, Duane Wallace is running after being appointed to fill Jim Jones's spot on the board until this election, and they are joined by David Peterson.

The American Red Cross volunteer workforce is spread thin with the number of disasters currently across the country. It has been a very active hurricane and wildfire season and they have an urgent need for volunteers who want to make a difference in the lives of those affected by disaster.

The easiest way to sign up is to visit https://www.redcross.org/volunteer/become-a-volunteer.html (find urgent needs here) for jobs from shelter associates and managers to health services.

When we look at our community’s health, there are many other factors that determine a person’s ability to thrive - beyond health care services. Social determinants of health are defined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as the conditions in places where people live, learn, work, and play that affect outcomes for health and quality of life. These determinants are complex, and can be deeply rooted; including income and employment opportunities, housing instability, food insecurity, family and social support, transportation, and adverse life effects.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Reopening a nonprofit health care system’s thrift store during a pandemic takes careful consideration and planning, just like many of the challenges faced in the region. As Barton Health’s Attic thrift store prepares to open after a six-month hiatus, a week-long donation event is planned for the week of September 14, to accept household items from the community and restock shelves.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - – The South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD) Board of Directors adopted a temporary COVID-19 Rate Relief Program during their last meeting to assist residents and businesses that are facing financial hardship due to the pandemic. This new program offers a 50 percent credit to one quarterly sewer bill for customers in need.

“This pandemic has impacted some in our community more than others,” said STPUD Board Presdient Randy Vogelgesang. “We felt that we needed to do our part to help our customers who need it the most.”

Now that the Bread & Broth 4 Kids (BB4K) summer program came to an end on August 26, the backpack school program resumes and will once again provide weekend food bags to Lake Tahoe Unified School District children. Bags will be available to qualified families at four school sites (Sierra House, Bijou, Tahoe Valley and South Tahoe Middle School) and school bus stop locations every Friday beginning September 4. As the bus drivers deliver breakfast and lunch to the students, the bags will be handed out.

Tahoe Magic would like to thank the community for all of the donations received.

A big thank you to Barton Health Foundation, Sierra Health Foundation and Safeway (Nourishing Families) who donated a combined $50,000 this past month. Those donations will help 100 local families with their rent.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Barton Foundation has awarded a record $100,000 in its annual Community Health Grant funding. This is in addition to more than $170,000 in grants given to local families and individuals from its COVID-19 Response Fund.

The 13 Lake Tahoe-based organizations that were awarded share Barton Health’s commitment to addressing the most urgent health needs in the area: mental and behavioral health, substance use, and access to care.

The organizations selected for a Community Health Grant serve the area’s most vulnerable populations and those in need:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It has been a wild two weeks for the Howard family, ever since ten-year-old Maeson entered the UC Davis Children’s Hospital with what appeared to be a COVID-19-releated multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), or Kawasaki disease.

Maeson Howard is on the road to recovery and back in his Christmas Valley home with his parents and sister.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Barton Health's Attic Thrift Store in South Lake Tahoe hasn't reopened yet, but they are having several events to help those in the community facing challenges.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - During the 31st annual American Century Championship, Korbel California Champagne® once again held its popular Closest-to-the-Pin contest on No. 17 at Edgewood Tahoe.