The Press-Enterprise
April 26, 2009

Big Sunday’s concept is that everybody can give

By Jennifer Dean

About 50,000 volunteers in Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, San Diego and Los Angeles counties are gearing up for a massive community service event.

Big Sunday, which now spans two days, will take place at about 400 locations Saturday and Sunday. The service event began 11 years ago as a synagogue mitzvah day at a Hollywood temple where Big Sunday founder David Levinson and others would go out and do good deeds around the city.

It soon expanded, but didn’t reach the Inland region until two years ago when Ontario resident Sandy Cobos got involved. Cobos heard about the initiative from another member of her church, Mosaic Church in Chino, and decided to get involved.

She and a group of volunteers ended up doing repairs on a home in Chino for a financially struggling family.

That was the only project in the Inland Empire’s first year of participation in 2007.

“In 2008, we picked up a couple more,” Cobos said. This year there are 10 projects – more Inland undertakings than ever before. The activities will include cleaning parks, restocking food pantries and working in shelters and youth homes.

Cobos and Omar Dandashi, of Yorba Linda, teamed up to coordinate all Inland Empire projects.

“For years I’ve looked for a way to volunteer, but many organizations want money, not your time,” Dandashi said. “Last year I agreed to volunteer at one of the projects and ended up replacing a team captain.”

Planning began last August for many of this year’s projects, Cobos said. “By November and December, we were meeting with one group of nonprofits. Now we’re recruiting volunteers and working out our budget.”

“Big Sunday always grows sort of organically,” Levinson said. “Our whole idea is that everybody has some way they can help. We have projects for wounded soldiers, knitting projects for preemies and babies with AIDS . . . we’re even cleaning a farm at a pot-belly pig rescue in Solvang.”

This year many organizations are in need of even more assistance than in years past.

“The shelters are asking for more,” Levinson said. “Schools that used to ask for books and art supplies are asking for food, clothing, etc.”

In addition to all the larger projects, there are smaller activities available for individuals or small groups:

“When Life Gives You Lemons Make Lemonade” stands can be set up anywhere. Big Sunday has all the supplies for the stands and participants can choose one of five children’s charities to support with the proceeds.

“Polishing Off Lung Cancer” booths will benefit the Lung Cancer Foundation of America. Nail polish company OPI has created a new color called Breathe Life, which volunteers will use in nail polish booths to raise funds. Big Sunday provides polish, remover, money cans and signage for the booths.

“There’s something for absolutely everyone who wants to be involved,” Levinson said. “If you paint, garden, cook, clean . . . we have something for you.

“We’re also collecting new and used books, gently used musical instruments for the Harmony Foundation and there’s a huge canned food drive.”

“The way this is set up it doesn’t matter how old you are or how physically able, it just matters that you want to give,” Dandashi said.

(Copyright Press Enterprise Apr 26, 2009)

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