----- Your $10 = $20 total!  -----
As with all holidays, there seems to be those stories and situations that must be told, shared and addressed. This year, the need is greater than prior. In short, we need to outreach and collect $10,000. Below is an email from a teacher at Corona High School. Please read the stories she's shared, donate to the cause, and spread the word.

Thanks to the generosity of one of our members, Adam Owens of SLAC, Inc. has pledged to match any dollar amount donated, up to $5,000. The catch is we only have until  December 9 to accomplish this goal. If you are interested in learning more or discussing, please call me. There are 70 students and 24 families that the business community can positively impact this year!

Bobby Spiegel
CEO | President
CORONA Chamber
951.737.3350 Office | 951.733.1836 Cell

My name is Nielle Reinhart. I am a Special Education teacher and the PTSA advocate for Outreach. Over the last few years we have seen a significant change in the economy and with that came a significant change in needs of our students. Last year our ASB director, Julie Stivers, started the "Angel Tree" at Corona High School. Students would make their Christmas wishes known, and we would try our best to fulfill those wishes. We decided to continue that tradition this year. We were shocked by what our students wished for. They no longer wished for movie tickets and cell phones. Our students are no longer asking for video games or skateboards. This year we have 70 students asking for things such as food, underwear, shoes, backpacks, school supplies, warm blankets and clothing. There was not a single student asking for a toy, a Prom ticket or a yearbook. Our students were asking for the basic 
necessities needed to survive. I would like to tell you the stories of a couple of our students.
Right before Thanksgiving break we had a student wish for a blanket and a pillow so that they could stay warm, while their family of 5 slept on the floor in the family room of a relatives home, under only one blanket. We were able to show up at their house over break with 5 blankets, 5 pillows, 10 pillow cases, 5 foam pads, a Stater Brothers gift card and a large box of food. The saddest/best part of that trip was hearing the 5 year old little brother of our student come out and excitedly exclaim, "Do I really get my very own pillow?"

Last week, Mr. Danesh and I called in a student who had not been dressing out for P.E. While speaking with him we learned that he was not dressing out because his family could not afford to buy him underwear and therefore he was afraid to change into his uniform. He also mentioned that he was afraid to run in his current pair of shoes. When I looked down to glance at his current pair of shoes, I realized that his ENTIRE foot was hanging out and that the toe portion of the shoe was literally STAPLED together and the heel portion had been glued.
Instead of worrying about what movie to watch on Netflix, or what game to play with their friends, our students are worrying about where their next meal will be coming from, how they are going to stay warm at night and how to keep their shoes glued together another day. In order to help relieve some of their life stresses and bring some Christmas joy their way - we are hoping to help provide each of their families with means to purchase food and clothing. We currently have identified 70 individual students and 24 families in need our help and we know that there will be more to come. We would like to be able to provide each of these 70 students with an $100 gift card to Walmart (where they can purchase clothing, school supplies, underwear, shoes and blankets) and each of the 24 families a $100 gift card to Stater Brothers for food. I am hoping and praying that we can come together as a community and help truly make this a Merry Christmas for these families.
Corona Chamber of Commerce
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