The holiday season has inspired Porterville civic organizations and individuals to step out and extend the tradition of giving to the needy.

The El Granito congregation and community service organization is planning to bring Christmas to the poor community through a donation and giveaway event beginning Wednesday, December 19. The 34th annual tradition will include a three-day series of gift giving.

The children’s Christmas party and giveaway of food, jackets and toy donations will take place on Wednesday, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the El Granito office on 383 W. Date Ave. The items that will be given away will be those which were collected at the office between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, December 18.

“We need all the help we can get. Any donations we can get we greatly appreciate because from Wednesday to Friday we’ll be giving away a lot of free stuff,” said El Granito Executive Director and head pastor, Dr. Janice Rice. Rice, who received a doctorate in theology, runs the El Granito organization with a will to serve others.

“I founded [El Granito] because of the need for the kids in my community. I founded it because there were children in my neighborhood who didn’t have a mother or anything to [look forward to] for Christmas,” said Rice.

The organization, which is “dedicated to restoring lives,” endeavors to serve, “anybody with a lower income or whoever needs help,” according to Rice. Recipients are accounted for aid based upon eligibility requirements that correlate with the United States Department of Agriculture charts’ deemed low income category.

A food distribution will take place on Thursday, from 12 to 3 p.m. at the El Granito office. Food bags will be distributed to each family. One bag goes toward a family of 1 to 4 children.

Friday, December 21, will conclude the 3-day affair with a food basket drive and children’s Christmas party from 2 to 6 p.m. at the El Granito church, 19667 Avenue 195, Plainview. This event will feature the giveaway of food baskets to the families who have subscribed to receive one previously, as well as any others who show up that day.

Rice explained that the organization tends to meet the needs of a large number of people every year.

The Friday event will also feature a bilingual Santa Claus.

Rice and several others working on behalf of the El Granito effort are currently contacting businesses in hopes of retrieving donations for the 3 day affair.

“A lot of people are really going through a [tough time] right now, so we’re off about 7,000 donations. We’re calling whoever we can get a hold of because several of the businesses haven’t come through yet. We just keep pressing,” Rice said, while adding that last minute donations regularly account for a large percentage of the total collected, and that the organization always seems to reach their intended goal.

The El Granito committee is extending an invitation to anyone in the local community to take part in either of the Christmas parties or the food distribution process.

Over its 34 years of existence, “[The organization] just grew on and on and now we have about 3,000 [volunteers],” said Rice.

For more information on the El Granito volunteer process, contact Dr. Janice Rice at 756-3027 or the El Granito office at 784-2788