LOMITA, Calif. – Lately, common essentials like bottled water and toilet paper have been hard to come by as many go store to store in search of what they need, only to find empty shelves. That’s why Deborah Dixon, a City of Lomita employee, became concerned. 

“Seeing the long lines at the grocery stores and the supermarkets and watching everybody hoarding the water and the paper goods and I thought about our poor seniors,” Dixon said.

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The concern sparked an idea that inspired other city employees and the City Council to donate and help bring these items to those who need it most in the community. Especially, when one senior came to City Hall asking for help.

“She came up and said ‘Hey, how can I get some of that paper? My husband and I have been going all over the place trying to get paper and we can’t. We are very low.’ And so, I said ‘Let me get your name and number and we’ll see if we can assist you’ and she said ‘How soon?’ And I said ‘It would be in the next day or two,” Dixon said.

That’s all it took for city employees and city council to come together and donate more than $500 that turned into 260 grocery bags filled with toilet paper, water bottles and a list of city resources available.

The project is just one of the many acts of kindness that have been taking place in the City of Lomita. Mayor Pro Tem Mark Waronek said this is the city’s way of being there for its residents.

“Lomita staff is doing this to make sure that our seniors, those that are ill, our families that don’t have to go out… we can get them the supplies they need,” Waronek said.

With bags in hand, Dixon and Lomita’s city manager were more than happy to deliver the essentials to those who might not be able to drive to the store.

“Everybody I talked to is just so afraid and so nervous about what’s going on. It kind of brightens people’s day to know that we still care, that there are people out there that still care,” Dixon said.

The supplies might be limited, but Dixon hopes the bags will remind others that this city will get through this troubling time together.

City employees are preparing a second round of donations for any residents in need.

Bag requests or donations can be submitted via email: LiftUpLomita@lomitacity.com.