Toys, books, clothes, and food are the many things that can be donated in different drop-off locations at El Camino College this holiday season.

The Associated Student Organization has set up holiday decorated boxes for specific donations at different locations across campus.

There will be a box for non-perishable food donations outside of the ASO office at the Activities Center and also at the library.

Clothing donations can be left in a designated box at the Student Services Center and at the EC Bookstore.

ASO created these drop-off boxes to assist other EC resources. The food donations will go to the Warrior Pantry and the clothing donations will go to Financial Aid.

“I think that is really the responsibility of student government,” Sean Min, 20, ASO director of student services, said. “To just raise awareness of the different resources, the opportunities here on campus.”

ASO is also accepting toy donations through a registry on Amazon set up by CARE and Calworks who have their own donation drive.

CARE and CalWORKS are EC programs for student parents in need of assistance and are spearheading multiple donation opportunities for them.

Their main drive is called Adopt a Family and is a way to help their student parents provide gifts for their children.

Donations can be new and unwrapped toys, gift cards, and money which can either be given by a check or online.

They are also partnering with the EC Police Department and the Student Support Services Division on other drives people can donate to.

The EC Police Department has a drop-off box in their lobby and are accepting new and unwrapped toys.

A lot of people like the convenience of dropping off toys at the EC Police Department lobby because they are open for 24 hours, Police Officer Kenny Galan said.

Galan and his partner Police Officer Erika Solorzano initiated the partnership between the EC Police Department and CARE and CalWORKS.

“We just wanted to give back to our campus community as the Police Department to show that we are here to help,” Galan said.

The Student Support Services Division are having a Children’s Book Drive and are accepting new children’s books at various locations.

The cut-off date for these drives is Dec. 11, in preparation for a private holiday event CARE and CalWORKS hosts for their student parents and their children.

“We throw a little holiday event for them to give them like the Christmas spirit,” Isabel Gonzalez, CARE student worker, sociology major, said. “So it’s just a really great time that we provide for the parent for working hard and their child so they get to spend time together.”

This year will be their 20th annual event and it is where the children of CARE and CalWORKS students receive their donated gifts.

Breana Bond, CARE student services advisor, said they had a student worker inclined to work one of their holiday events because he attended one as a child.

“It shows that what we do affect multiple generations,” Bond said. “This particular program really does that.”

Additional resources:

ASO Holiday Drive

Food donations: Activities Center (outside of the ASO office), the library

Clothing donations: Student Services Building, EC Bookstore

El Camino Police Department Toy Drive: Police department lobby

Children’s Book Drive: Communications Building Room 201, Activities Center Room 170, Student Services Center Room 200 and Room 101

CARE and CalWORKS Adopt a Family

Toys and Gift Cards: Student Services Center Room 205B (Amazon Registry)

Check: Make the check payable to El Camino College Foundation and put “CARE Adopt a Family” in the memo section

Online: Select “other” under designation and put “CARE Adopt a Family”

Update: 4:44 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7. The category ‘news’ was marked for accuracy.