As we enter the holiday season, people are gearing up for more than a month of celebrations, events and gatherings with friends and family.

But it’s also a time when many people want to give back to their communities and help others.

“In Focus SoCal” host Tanya McRae visits the Our Saviour Center in El Monte to see how this organization has been making a difference in its community for almost four decades. Jose Vega, director of operations at the center, has been volunteering at the nonprofit since he was 14 years old.

The nonprofit, non-sectarian organization began in 1985 as a small food bank inside a rented storefront. Today, the center provides various services to more than 220,000 at-risk low-income families, including a food pantry, clothing, emergency temporary housing vouchers, social services, an after-school program for more than 150 children, youth enrichment classes and the hugely popular Soccer for Success program.

According to Vega, the long-lasting impact the nonprofit has had on the community would not have been possible without the tireless dedication and effort of volunteers.

“If you're a nonprofit and you have no volunteers, you really can’t do your work. It's impossible for me and even a small staff number of two folks to run a food pantry of this size. We serve 300 families per day. There’s just no way that we could do it without them.”

“In Focus” also attended LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis’s annual Thanksgiving event, Operation Gobble Gobble, where 1,600 turkeys were given to families in need and a number of nonprofits. The giveaway comes at the start of a difficult holiday season for some families who are struggling due to inflation and rising costs of living — issues Solis says are more important than ever.

“People need help with their rental assistance. People still need to find a better paying job. Young people are worried about their future, whether they're going to be able to go to college. Can they afford to go to college? Are there going to be opportunities for people to live in a cleaner and better environment? All those things are on our minds right now. And I empathize with our communities and want to continue to serve them. And I'm very pleased that I have the opportunity to do that.”

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