December is always a busy month for Tito Rodriguez, founder of the Local Hearts Foundation, known by most as Hood Santa.
Fundraising for his annual toy drive, Diamond Christmas, a beloved local event where thousands of toys are given out to children in underserved communities, tends to take up the better part of his month. But, given the strange, doozy of a year it’s been, Rodriguez thought, why not do something he’s never done before?
“The pandemic sucks. People don’t have money for Christmas trees, so I thought let’s try and buy some families some trees and do something cool for them,” he said. “Trees, they make your house smell good, kind of get you happy when you walk in.”
Putting the call out on social media over a week ago, and with the help of some close friends, Rodriguez has spent the last eight days gifting some 60 Christmas trees to families all over LA County who couldn’t afford one this year.
And, because it wouldn’t really be a Hood Santa visit without toys, some were also given a gift or two, such as local Sophie Hawker, a four-year-old battling leukemia. Her parents, Christian Hawker and Daniella Guerra, were also awarded a $1,000 check to help out with finances.
“I know, for my children, how happy they get to get all that stuff. So that pushes me to want to help as many kids as I can,” Rodriguez said.
On Thursday, Rodriguez gifted the last four trees he had to a few local families, who came outside to handpick which tree they wanted.
While Rodriguez said he’s probably done with giving out Christmas trees for now, his toy drive, little more than a week away, is just a quarter from their goal of raising $50,000 for new toys. The Local Hearts Foundation 10th Annual Diamond Christmas Toy Drive at MacArthur Park is Sunday, Dec. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To donate directly or volunteer, click here.
Rodriguez will also be at local bar and music venue, Supply and Demand, located at 2500 E. Anaheim St., collecting toy donations Saturday, Dec. 12 and Sunday, Dec. 13 from 12 to 6 p.m. Supply and Demand will also be selling fresh street tacos, beer and cocktails to-go, with 10% of the proceeds going to For the Children, in partnership with Local Hearts Foundation.
