PHOENIX — ABC15 is in the middle of our annual Operation Santa Claus campaign, which collects funds and donations for five Arizona charities. One of them is Chicanos Por La Causa.
The organization is dedicated to helping and supporting families across Arizona. That includes at their community center in Phoenix.
10-year-old Efren Chavez says he loves to spend his afternoons here.
"I just like say hi to the staff and then like I do an activity and then I ask if they want to play a board game and then like once we're done and it's time to play on the computers, I just go to computers and then they make food," Efren explained.
His mom Claudia agrees that it's the perfect place for Efren to thrive after school.
"I like it because he's not at home just on the tablet, or the game, or outside with people that we don't know. I like it for him to be here, learning new things, doing homework. I love, I just love the stuff here. They're really, really nice," said Claudia.
Marissa Calderón is the Associate Director of family empowerment for Chicanos Por La Causa. She says she knows the impact this group has on families all year long, but especially appreciates the community's help during the holidays.
"I just think it's just so lovely. It's one of our favorite times of the year, and it's really something that we're so thankful that the community has really wrapped their hands around us to continue to put this out for them," said Calderón.
She knows the need is great and she also hopes that people can be assured a donation to them through Operation Santa Claus truly makes an impact.
"If you want to make a direct impact on a child, on a child's life. This is where you would want to donate. Sometimes we think about where I'm donating, but I don't know where that's going or who's getting that. Know that you can come to our community center and you can see it in person, in real life, and you can see the impact. You can see it in their faces, of our communities that come in and out of our doors, and especially our youth," Calderón explained.
Youth like Efren Chavez.
"Just stay confident and brave and be respectful to everyone that you meet and not, and do not like do anything mean to anyone," said Efren.
To learn more about Chicanos Por La Causa and all of their programs and resources, visit CPLC.org.
If you'd like to donate to Operation Santa Claus visit GivetotheClaus.com.
