Recently in Charity Category

LifeStream will hold a community blood drive from 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday at First United Methodist Church, 262 N. Euclid Ave. in Upland.

Donors will receive Gift of Life Donor Loyalty points that may be redeemed in the online store at www.LStream.org and may enter to win a pair of three-day general admission passes to the 2012 Stagecoach Country Music Festival.

Donors may also register for Be The Match bone marrow screening at all donor locations free of charge or visit www.bethematch.org and use promo code 92408.

Healthy individual at least 15 years old may donate.

Those 15 and 16 years old must provide a written parental consent. Parent consent forms are available at any donor center, community blood drive or at www.LStream.org.

All prospective donors should be free of infections or illness, weigh at least 110 pounds and not be at risk for AIDS or Hepatitis.

Donors will receive a free mini-physical as part of the donation process.

For more information call 1-800-TRY GIVING.

The Upland Police Officers Association is hosting a golf tournament Feb. 3 at the Oak Quarry Golf Course at 7151 Sierra Avenue in Riverside.

Check in is at 6:45 a.m. with tee off at 8 a.m.

Proceeds from the tournament will go to the Upland Police Foundation's Widows and Orphans fund.

The Police Officers Association donates over $5,000 a year to local charities and other uses that need help throughout the community," said Marc Simpson, president of the Police Officers Association. "This is a good opportunity to get out and play gofl with some of your police officers and leaders."

For more information email UPOA@live.com or call the Upland Police Department at 909-946-7624.

John Elway's Crown Toyota in Ontario, in partnership with the Toyota Dealer Match Program, donated $5,000 to the Upland Public Library's Adult Literacy Program.

Crown Toyota donated $2,500, while the Toyota Match program provided an additional $2,500.

"We all share the same dream to see our communities thrive," said Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor Sales President and CEO, in a city news release.

Since its inception in 1989, the Adult Literacy Program has helped more than 1,000 English-speaking adults improve their basic reading and writing skills by matching adult learners with trained volunteers for free one-on-one tutoring.

"We're a part of the communities we serve," said John Elway, CEO of Crown Toyota. "The work Upland does for literacy and the enrichment of the community is invaluable and we're honored to help them in continuing their mission."

For more information on the library's Adult Literacy Program or how to become a volunteer call the Literacy Office at 909-931-4212.

The Parent Teacher Association at Pepper Tree Elementary School will be holding a drive in conjunction with Goodwill Industries from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 7 at the school, 1045 W. 18^th St. in Upland.

The PTA is trying to raise money to purchase new playground equipment.

People will be able to drive up to the sale and drop off gently used items to donate. Donations are tax deductible.

All items must be sell-able as is.

For more information email Peppertreefundraising@yahoo.com

The Foothill Family Shelter is a beneficiary of GoodSearch.com

Online shoppers who sign up with the search engine will help raise funds for the Upland-based non-profit through their online searches.

Goodshop.com works with more than 2,500 stores, including Target, Apple and PetSmart. Every time a shopper purchases something, a percentage will be donated to the shelter.

GoodShop also offers more than 100,000 of coupons and free shipping offers.

GoodSearch is a Yahoo powered search engine.  

The city has started the "Sunshine Connection" to brighten the lives of local seniors.

Through the program, George M. Gibson Senior Center staff and volunteers will make phone calls to seniors who would like to hear a friendly voice a few times a month. Seniors can also receive birthday cards and other special occasion cards.

Seniors ages 60 and older who are frail, homebound due to illness, disability or isolation are eligible to receive home delivered meals Monday through Friday for a suggested donation of $2.50.

Upland residents who cannot get to the library due to illness, age, infirmity or disability can be part of the library's "From Our Library to You" program. They will deliver library materials to homebound residents.

For more information on the program or to register call 909-981-4501 or visit the center at 250 N. 3^rd Ave. in downtown Upland.

Teresa Tims, president of TDR Mortgage in Upland, is offering families and friends of members of the armed forces a special gift this holiday season.

They can stop by the office at 180 D. St. from 2 to 7 p.m. on Friday to receive a free video and family portrait to send to their loved ones serving in the military.

Professional Photographer Kerstie Kooiman will donate her time to take the photos.

For more information call 909-920-3500.

Students at Carden Arbor View School recently helped out an alumni.

Jessica Bhatia, who graduated from the school in 2008, founded the Heart2Heart Charity Foundation two years ago.

Students gathered donations for the charity, which raises money and awareness to help pay for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting for low income patients in India.

"I started this foundation because there is a growing need to support those with heart disease in India. My grandfather passed away in a small village in India, and may have survived if he would have had the right care," Bhatia said in a news release from the school. "Due to insufficient support for those with heart diseases and prohibitive costs in India for preventive care, I decided to start this foundation to help others. My goal is to reduce the number of deaths from heart disease in India annually."

Throughout the year, students at the school participate in community service programs to help others.

For more information about Heart2Heart Charity Foundation visit www.wix.com/jessicabhatia/heart2heartcharityfoundation.