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Laguna Food Pantry opportunity drawing results

In the last 31 days of another tough year, the residents of Laguna came together and raised $20,000 for the Laguna Food Pantry through the second annual “Stock the Pantry” fundraiser sponsored by the Mike Johnson Group of Compass. Generous retailers who created gift baskets to be given away to donors in an opportunity drawing and were the catalyst to this fundraiser’s success include Tuvalu, Koloa Surf Company, Laguna Surf & Sport, Laguna Books, Gorjana, Stitch and Feather, Studio Taka, Cock & Tail Home, Vertigo Home and Good Together House.

Laguna Food Pantry Mike Johnson

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Photos courtesy of Laguna Food Pantry

(L-R) Lilly Tabrizi, Paulo Prietto, Mike Johnson (Mike Johnson Group, Compass), Anne Belyea (Director of the Laguna Food Pantry) and Susan Thomas (Laguna Food Pantry Board Chair)

This year, they had more than 75 donors participate in the drawing. The Laguna Food Pantry and the Mike Johnson Group would like to thank all of the donors during this fundraiser. Although due to COVID extending on for a second year, they were unable to host their annual Kitchen Tours to Stock the Laguna Food Pantry for the second year in a row. The alternative opportunity drawing raised awareness and an incredible amount of needed funds for a critical part of the Laguna Beach community – the Laguna Food Pantry.

Laguna Food Pantry Susan Dubois

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Susan Dubois, winner of the Studio Taka gift basket

The Laguna Food Pantry offers free, fresh, nutritious groceries to families and individuals in need who live, work and attend school in or around Laguna Beach. Their facility on Laguna Canyon Road serves about 500 families each week (though upwards of 170 families a day recently) and they collect and give away about 4,000 lbs. of food every weekday. The Laguna Food Pantry has an incredibly dedicated and passionate group of friendly volunteers who welcome shoppers as they arrive to select their choice of foods once a week in their retail-style setting that has had to pivot to adapt to COVID safe procedures. The food items that are offered are purchased from regional food banks and donated by local markets and private donors, and they are fully funded by generous donors, corporate and private foundation grants, churches, schools and local government.

Laguna Food Pantry Nina Langton

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Nina Langton, winner of the Cock & Tail Home gift basket and Nick Hooper (Mike Johnson Group, Compass)

Congratulations to these gift basket winners:

–Vertigo Home gift basket winner: Lynea Rodriguez

–Tuvalu gift basket winner: Deanne Johnson

–Koloa Surf Company gift basket winner: Patricia Lamb

–Gift cards (Gorjana, Stitch & Feather and Laguna Books) gift basket winner: Brandon Hoskins

–Good Together House gift basket winner: Lori Namazi

–Laguna Surf & Sport gift basket winner: Natalie Belyea

–Studio Taka gift basket winner: Susan and Langdon Dubois

–Cock & Tail Home gift basket winner: Nina and Kirk Langton

Laguna Food Pantry Brandon Hoskins

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Brandon Hoskins, winner of the gift cards gift basket 

Laguna Food Pantry looks forward to continuing their monthly volunteer trips to the Pantry in 2022. If you or any of your family members, loved ones, or friends would like to join them, call 949.207.3735 and they will let you know when their next volunteer date will be.

 

Shaena Stabler, President & CEO - Shaena@StuNewsLaguna.com

Lana Johnson, Editor - Lana@StuNewsLaguna.com

Tom Johnson, Publisher - Tom@StuNewsLaguna.com

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