(Luke Arizpe and Alex Chun)

“Make it a Moment originally started as a service project for our school’s National Honor Society but soon evolved into something more meaningful,” said Chun, “Luke and I wanted to do more than just volunteer hours; we wanted to celebrate people.”

“Our mission is to bring joy through fun and engaging experiences,” added Arizpe, “whether it’s a birthday party for disadvantaged youth, a holiday gift exchange, or a clothing fair for the homeless, our goal is to offer a reprieve to anyone in need.”

In addition to the two founders, Make it a Moment has a student board of 11 high school students from around the South Bay Los Angeles area and is rapidly growing. The board includes Ryan Rogers, Justin Newman, Tucker Fonoimoana, Fred Brown, Christopher Fire, Alyssa Arizpe, and Gretchen Cotrell from Mira Costa High School; Emery Arnold and Jordan Barash from El Segundo High School; and Jake Newman and Tommy Nathan from Mater Dei High School. All students are from the beach cities.

The organization’s first event, a spring clothing drive and fair for the Los Angeles Mission, took place on May 13 in Los Angeles, in partnership with the Los Angeles Mission. The team gave away more than 1,000 articles of clothing, blankets, 250 essential bags (made up of underwear and socks), 150 hygiene kits, and a variety of raffle prizes, gift cards, and sweet treats.

“We are grateful to have had the opportunity to partner with the Los Angeles Mission, an organization known for their ongoing commitment to serving LA’s homeless population,” said Chun.

“There are nearly 69,000 people in LA County currently experiencing homelessness,” said Troy Vaughn, CEO of the Los Angeles Mission, in a statement. “We are always looking for volunteers to help us with our cause, so to get this extra boost of support from these students is very much needed and appreciated. We hope Make it a Moment will be an ongoing partner.”

Make it a Moment aims to serve people and groups of all ages in the greater Los Angeles area. Its services include clothing fairs; birthday celebrations; and special occasion events including gift exchanges, holiday meals, and visits to senior centers. For more information, visit www.makeitamoment.org