Teens Establish a Legacy of Giving to For The Child

Each year, Long Beach-based For The Child hosts Santa’s Workshop, an event that supports the families they serve by providing gifts, food and wrapping paper to ensure they will have a nice holiday celebration. The community generously donates to the supply of toys and gifts that are distributed each year.

For the past six years, a group of high school teens from Pacific Palisades have collected board games and other toys to donate to For The Child. As some of the teens have graduated and gone on to college, they created a sustainable chain of volunteers to lead the collection. Founding members Drew Singer and Jake Grossman passed the torch to Jake’s younger brother Cole Grossman, and his friend Josh Birnbach, who attend Harvard Westlake School and Brentwood School, respectively. They were the junior members of the effort when it began.

“I’ve been so impressed over the years to witness their commitment and generosity, and to see these teenagers create a succession plan,” said Michele Winterstein, For The Child’s executive director. “They are so well-prepared and forward-thinking.”

The two young men emailed everyone they knew asking for donations and were able to donate 235 games and toys for Santa’s Workshop.

Cole Grossman shared that as part of one of the previous toy drives for For The Child, he went on a tour of the therapy offices in Long Beach, and the topic of board games came up.

“I didn’t know that a board game could be such a powerful family experience,” he said. “I learned that some kids don’t have anything to play with in their homes and having a board game gives the family something to do together. I was happy to pick-up the tradition.”

Next year, while Grossman will be headed to University of Chicago and Birnbach will be at Santa Clara University, a third Grossman brother will lead the cause. Derek Grossman is in seventh grade and will enlist his parents’ help to carry on the tradition.

For The Child is celebrating 50 years of helping children overcome the negative effects of child abuse and neglect. One child at a time, one family at a time, one program at a time, For The Child is dedicated to building a community that provides a circle of safety and possibility for children. For more information, visit www.ForTheChild.org. Follow For The Child on Instagram and Facebook: @ForTheChildLongBeach