The boys and their friends (Jordan, Truice, Josh and Jacob) enjoyed walking to each home, taking turns on their introduction, and telling people about what they were doing – proving that even when you are hanging out with friends, it’s easy to take a moment to give back.

Great job boys!

We’d love for all volunteers to bring a few Valentine’s cards for the guests we’re visiting, and it would also be great for volunteers to bring small prizes to use for the Bingo games.

Space is limited for this event, so please call (818) 264-4981 to RSVP as soon as possible!

Started by Eduardo Castillo, a man who spent 34 years of his life homeless on the streets of Periera, Reskate Juvenil is a 100% donation-run organization that helps homeless youth, young drug addicts, and prostitutes restart their lives.

While working with the organization, Alejandra, her husband Keith, and daughter Manuela helped collect donated items like soap, deodorant, food, toothpaste, toothbrushes, underwear, towels, clothes, etc. that were given from generous families throughout the city.

Even though they’ve done community outreach work for years, all three said that they were inspired by Keanu and Tristen to get more involved on this recent trip, and TKO is excited to have them as part of the team! It’s truly people like Eduardo, Alejandra, Manuela, and Keith who inspire us to do more to touch the lives of others all over the world.

Next time you’re traveling, take the spirit of TKO with you and turn kindness on!

On December 26, Team TKO members gathered at The Ellens’ home for a Cookie Party. Members brought dozens of cookies to share with each other and as everyone visited and caught up, the kids decorated boxes to put the cookies in.

Fun prizes were awarded to the three winning box designs, and everyone who participated also received a prize for contributing. The night ended with a few games of flashlight tag, hugs, and warm hearts.

Today, the cookies will be delivered by TKO to the local Jewish Elderly Center and the local police and fire stations. The treat boxes are an assortment of chocolate cookies, rice krispy bars, toffee crunch cookies, chocolate chunk cookies, snowballs, and Mexican wedding cookies.

The kids presented five boxes of clothes, donated by the NBA and The Thompson Family, to the Ranfurly Home for Children, a safe haven for thousands of Bahamian children since 1956.

Andy Thompson recalls how deeply the experience affected his kids, who “came away with a new perspective on life after bringing a smile to the faces of the children they met.”

We hope this letter finds you well and that you’re enjoying the holiday season with your family and friends! 2009 has been a wonderful and lively year of growth for us and we’re enormously grateful for your support and continued help in Turning Kindness On.

We wanted to take the chance to give you a quick recap of TKO in 2009, and a little peek at what’s in store for the new year. Over the past 12 months, Team TKO has worked with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, prepared and handed out food and basic supplies to the homeless in Santa Monica, hosted a Great American Bake Sale for Share Our Strength, fundraised for (and traveled to) organizations in Kenya, Bali, Hawaii, and NYC, created a Kindness on the Go program, and much more.

In 2010, we’ll be launching a brand new website and integrated online home for TKO that will be a one stop source for up to the minute information, donations, Team TKO registration, etc. 2010 will also mark the publication of our first annual TKO Recipe for Life Cookbook. The cookbook, which celebrates the camaraderie of shared meals, will feature favorite dishes from Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Dean Cain, Clyde Drexler, Ahmad Rashad, Tim Brown, Ann Meyers Drysdale, Marcus Allen, Luc Robitaille, Matt Hasselbeck, Anze Kopitar, Cory Gaines, Tangela Smith, Jerry West, Wolfgang Puck, and others.

Alongside these big projects, we’ll also be continuously working to Turn Kindness On both locally and abroad and welcome the help and support of both new and existing members. To start supporting us, please visit https://www.justgive.org, where you can make a tax deductible donation to TKO Helping Hands that will help us spread the spirit of kindness all year long!

Sincerely yours,
Brett, Mandy, Keanu, and Tristen Ellen
TKO Founding Family

The Bukas Palad Foundation of the Philippines, Inc. is a non-government organization that provides sustainable development, education, livelihood, information and communication technology to needy children, elderly, urban poor, and victims of calamities and disasters. In addition, they feed kids once a week (which, for most of the kids, is their only “real” meal) and they’ve helped over 5000 families to date.

The Reed Family brought hygiene kits (consisting of a toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, shampoo, soap, bottles of water, juice, and snacks) for each child that the organization feed on Saturdays. They also brought clothes and toys and had fun turning kindness on with all the children!

TKO Helping Hands is proud to support The Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater Los Angeles (BOMA/GLA) in their 18th Annual Toy, Food, and Clothing Drive, which will support 19 deserving charities in the greater Los Angeles area.

These charities are: Aviva Family and Children’s Services, Canyon Acres, Carmen Lomas Garza Primary, Children Today, El Centro del Pueblo, Francziska Steagall Enrichment Kayne-Eras Center, Global Treads, Haven House , Heartfelt, Homeless Health Care Los Angeles, Jeffrey Foundation, Midnight Mission, One Voice, Ocean Park Community Center, Optima Family Services, Plaza de la Raza Head Start, Inc., Pacific Area Boosters Association, Vista del Mar, and Volunteers of America.

TKO Members (and all other interested donors) can drop their donations off December 1-10 at the American Financial Network office, located at: 23975 Park Sorrento, Suite 250 in Calabasas. We appreciate donations of new unwrapped non-violent toys, canned goods, or new clothing for people of all ages. Your gift will make a difference to someone who needs your help.

LET’S SPREAD OUR HOLIDAY CHEER TO THOSE IN NEED!

“I think the greatest part about TKO is that it impacts all of us,” said Michelle Mazzeo. “The gift of being involved in TKO affects my son and daughter just as much as it will the homeless person that receives this bag.”

The 100 bags that were stuffed will be delivered to the homeless on skid row by Keanu and Tristen Ellen, along with their parents and other Team TKO Members. Brett S. Ellen, one of the organization’s founders, knows that what he exposes his children to now will affect them forever. “Like anything else in life,” he said, “if someone is not exposed to something they are afraid of it. We are trying to share with our children that the life they are privileged to have is not the life that everyone in the world is fortunate enough to experience”.

Giving back should be a regular part of life, and at TKO we hope to instill that in the hearts of today’s youth.