Local charity donates gift bags to children at City of Hope

Donated items for children at City of Hope are loaded into a truck for delivery in the "Christmas in July" event.

The foundation created in honor of a Menifee woman who died of cancer in February has completed another program for charity and is focused on its next endeavor.

Stacia’s Brite Little Something, created in memory of Stacia Danvord (Vaughn), recently completed its “Christmas in July” donation to children at the City of Hope’s Pediatric Wing in Duarte. Thanks to the help of donors and volunteers, the foundation donated 577 gift-activity bags including coloring books, colored pencils and pens, markers, and other items intended to help ease some of the anxiety associated with the children’s treatment.

“We are proud of everyone linked to Stacia's Brite Little Something and we are honored to be able to provide a tribute to the memory of Stacia Danford (left),” wrote her husband James in an email to Menifee 24/7. “A patient of City of Hope herself, she saw first-hand how the other, younger patients needed something to keep them occupied during long days of treatment.”

The group’s next project will be to assist the Boys & Girls Clubs of Inland Valley, which includes clubhouses in Menifee. For the next two months, Stacia’s Brite Little Something will work to collect materials to help club members for the next school year. A donation drive is planned for Aug. 14 and more information will be coming.

For more information on how to donate, check the Stacia’s Brite Little Something Facebook page or the website staciasbls.org.

Here are some of the items needed:

Disposable masks
Sanitizers
Water bottles for kids
Construction paper
Loose glitter
Canvases
Crayons/colored pencils
Markers
Notebooks
Pencil pouches
Board games
Any STEM supplies or kits