Page 4 December 10, 2015 Nonprofit, L.A. Kings Hosts 23rd Annual Holiday Program To Benefit Victims Of Violence all of the adopted family’s needs are met during the holiday season. In addition, persons interested can Adopt A Stocking through which a $25 donation will provide a child or teenager a stocking with treats and a gift card. To help women, there is the Adopt A Women’s Bag donation where a bag is filled with toiletries, feminine products, dental hygiene products and other items. “The kindness of people is really overwhelming,” Melissa said. “People show up just to be kind, with great things, with handfuls of gift cards, or with toys just because they know that there is a kid that needs one. It touches my heart in such a way, that I am just truly moved.” In addition to helping people in need, Kevin and Melissa are committed to raising awareness about domestic violence through their outreach. “It’s really important and it’s also very difficult because it is a subject that is so heinous,” Kevin said. “People don’t naturally want to talk about issues that are that sad.” The State of California Department of Justice’s Office of the Attorney General reported that in 2014, the City of Los Angeles alone registered more than 8,000 calls for assistance for domestic violence. “It is in your own neighborhood. It is in everybody’s neighborhood; it is wherever you are and it is happening in the teen world,” Melissa said. “It is amazing to me that there are so many formats to discuss bullying yet this topic never gets discussed. “One of our goals is education; we want people to realize that abuse is real. The only way that we are going to end it is by getting a dialogue out there,” Melissa said. “If people are aware that we are trying to make changes and talking about it, then we Article and photos by Cristian Vasquez Lines of families and cars filled the Toyota Sports Center during the 23rd Annual Adopt A Family Program organized by Friends & Helpers. With the support of the Los Angeles Kings, the nonprofit dedicated to providing support and encouragement for the women, teens, children and sometimes men trying to escape a violent or hurtful situation hosted its annual holiday program. “It is one of those things where Kevin and Melissa are friends of ours, this has meant a lot for them for years,” President of Business Operations for the Los Angeles Kings Luc Robitaille said. “This is one of those events where we want to work together. It is such a great cause and we understand that the families that are being touched by these efforts will be helped. Any time that we have an opportunity to make a difference, we try to get involved.” Melissa Ryder, who is a survivor of domestic abuse from her first marriage, founded Friends & Helpers in 1992. Alongside her husband Kevin Ryder, cohost of the Los Angeles based Kevin and Bean Show on KROQ, Melissa has been organizing the holiday program in order to provide gifts, stuffed stockings, gift cards and everyday items for people living in local domestic abuse shelters. “When we say that five dollars make a difference, it really does make a difference,” Melissa said. “There are people who don’t eat and five dollars mean that they will eat that day.” In addition to accepting on-site donations, people can contribute via the Adopt A Family Gift donation where the donor can indicate the size of the family they are interested in adopting. Friends & Helpers will send an interested donor a family’s wish list so that Bailey, the Kings’ famous mascot, was part of the afternoon’s fun and charitable activities. The Kings’ Ice Crew and a KROQ music booth added to the high spirits among those present to donate to the cause. will affect change. Everyone in my crew is very young because the young people are the next chance at this so that is why we are doing this. We are going to keep fighting.” Being proactive in the community is something the Kings’ organization is known for and this was an opportunity that was not to be taken lightly. “Sometimes there are a lot of things that aren’t good that we don’t want to talk about but if we have an opportunity to spread the message that it is out there, then we have to make a difference,” Robitaille said. “As much as this is about delivering the message, it’s about making a difference with the kids Local KROQ radio personality Kevin Ryder [middle] poses with Larry Farber [left], Taylor Farber [right] and Avery Farber, one of the many families who contributed to the Friends & Helpers Holiday Event. Founded by Melissa Ryder in 1992, Friends & Helpers is dedicated to providing the support and encouragement needed for the women, teens, children and sometimes men, trying to escape a violent and/or hurtful situation. that are a part of those families and that we can help them.” Despite being in its 23rd year of existence, the task at hand never gets easier for Melissa; yet, it reaffirms that the work being conducted can not be abandoned. “I fall apart constantly but it is very rewarding. I am forever overwhelmed by the kindness of people,” Melissa said. “I have people come up to me and tell stories that touch my heart, or write me notes, and I am so grateful that people will drive for an hour-and-a-half in traffic to bring things for a family that they don’t know. For that, I am forever going to be thankful.” • Hockey legend and President of Business Operations for the Los Angeles Kings Luc Robitaille shared a moment with young hockey fan Will Fuhrman during Thursday’s holiday event. Robitaille and the L.A. Kings have had a long-standing relationship with Kevin and Melissa Ryder [big Kings’ fans] and have known about Friends & Helpers for years. Using the team’s practice facility’s parking lot was a perfect opportunity to collect items for people in need, and a convenient way to bring attention to the issue of domestic violence.
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