MEND is a local charity that helps struggling families with food and necessities throughout the year. This year, SDI employees contributed hundreds of toys, through MEND, to be given as gifts to children in the neighborhood and their donations were greatly appreciated. You can help too and give to MEND and help this wonderful charitable organization at www.mendpoverty.org.
In the early 1970’s, MEND (Meet Each Need with Dignity) opened its doors in an effort to transform the lives of the neediest residents of the San Fernando Valley – poor children and their struggling families. Starting as a small group of volunteers working from a garage, MEND has grown primarily by word-of-mouth into one of the leanest operating non-profit organizations in existence. More than 91% of the support and donations received by MEND, now the largest poverty agency in the Valley, provides emergency food, clothing, medical, vision and dental care, job skills training and job placement assistance, English as a Second Language classes, youth activities, and a Christmas program. In 2009, we served as many as 31,000 individuals per month. MEND is 3700 volunteers from all walks of life, under the guidance of a small, dedicated staff, providing all the basic human needs vital to day-to-day survival, plus the education, training, opportunities and support essential to transitioning out of poverty.