Editorial:

This holiday season has shone a lot brighter for the homeless and needy because of the selfless efforts made by hundreds of community volunteers.

Those who give of themselves define the true meaning of this season and deserve to be recognized and thanked.

Several of these efforts, such as cash donation campaigns, toy and food drives and a community dinner, have been organized by volunteers of the Burbank Coordinating Council, Salvation Army Burbank Corps and Burbank Temporary Aid Center.

Last weekend, the Burbank Coordinating Council conducted its two-day Holiday Basket program. On Dec. 14, volunteers gave anywhere from one to eight hours, matching toys and nonperishable food items with families and placing them in boxes at Washington Elementary School. On Dec. 15, volunteers spent most of the day delivering the boxes to needy and homeless families.

Those participating were police, firefighters, City Council members, Boy and Girl Scouts, Job’s Daughters, Burbank High School High Hope, individuals and businesses.

The Salvation Army has been ringing in cash donations through the annual Red Kettle program. Last year, the effort brought in $35,000. This year, several volunteers gave time stationed at Red Kettle locations throughout town. That included service clubs as well as Bellarmine-Jefferson High School students and for the first time students from Jordan Middle School, who gave time after school.

More than 350 people were provided with a Thanksgiving dinner the night before the holiday at the Salvation Army. The Burbank Marriott cooked the food that was served up by many volunteers, including the army’s advisory board, individuals and about 30 Bellarmine-Jefferson High School students.

The Salvation Army also coordinated an Angel Tree program that provided toys and clothing for 1,500 children and food for a holiday meal for their families. Volunteer groups stationed at the trees in the Town Center mall were the Burbank Emblem Club, the Women’s Club, Business and Professional Women, Foothill Civitan Club and the Burbank High School Key Club. The American Legion made a donation to the project, and businesses, Primerica Financial Services in Burbank and Explorer Insurance Co. in Valencia adopted 75 angels.

Burbank Temporary Aid Center has about 65 volunteers each week helping in the food pantry. Hundreds more help youngsters throughout the holiday pick out a toy in the Santa Room. Volunteers come from service groups, churches, Girl Scouts and National Charity League.

More than 250 families have been provided with toys and food for Christmas, and more than 500 turkeys will have been donated to needy families since Thanksgiving.

The volunteer effort in this community is phenomenal. Volunteers take time away from their own personal holiday tasks to provide a happier holiday for people they don’t know.

But what a feeling they have knowing that somewhere in Burbank a child is getting a present they never expected and a family is sharing a holiday meal they could have never afforded because they had been laid off or are victims of the writers strike.

Thank you to all the volunteers who gave unselfishly this holiday season.