Manhattan Beach: Donations To P.S. I Love You Will Be Matched

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — Helping families and children in need has always been the goal of the P.S. I Love You Foundation founded by Redondo Beach resident Patricia Scelza-Jones in 1998. Back then, when Scelza-Jones found out a woman she worked with quit her job to support and care for her great-grandchildren, she has been giving, and giving, and giving to benefit those in need.

Now, thanks to a generous donor, for every dollar raised up to $50,000, those dollars will be matched. Donations need to be made no later than Thursday, Dec. 31 for to be matched by the donor.

The P.S. I Love You Foundation reaches 750 to 1,000 at-risk youth a year, said Scelza-Jones. Its mission is "to develop and implement effective Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs for at-risk youth to inspire compassion, positive choices, respect and a love for self, others, and the world around.," according to its website. "Our SEL programs are in greater demand than ever right now. Since the pandemic crisis is isolating youth from human connection, there is arising need for more the social, emotional, and mental health programs for all youth." Every summer but this one in 2020, the organization holds a beach event in Manhattan Beach for the youths it serves.

P.S. I Love You to date has been successful thanks to its volunteers. The organization does not have full-time staff and its "emphasis has really been working with local schools and the volunteers teaching our programs," Scleza-Jones told Manhattan Beach Patch.

"Now, the universe is calling us to grow as partners such as Bank of America, Girls Scouts and local police departments [Gardena] with the city officials [Gardena Mayor Tashia Cedra) want to support our program by getting their staff involved as trained instructor-mentors to deliver our SEL programs to at-risk youth."

To make a donation to P.S. I Love You Foundation visit their website and this page.

In an email to subscribers, Scelza-Jones wrote, "2020 has been a challenging and distressing year but as we approach the new year with a sense of endless possibilities, we are excited to announce that we have been presented with an opportunity that will allow us to not only sustain our program but potentially expand the number of schools, classes, and students we currently serve but we need you to act now."