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CAN WE COUNT ON YOU and four friends to put together five Easter baskets - one for each of you - for needy Long Beach-area kids? In 2005, the project's first year, the goal was 350 baskets.
OUR GOAL in 2024 is 2,250 essentials-filled baskets. Please let us know if you can commit to help bring hope and cheer this Easter season.
g TAX-DEDUCTIBLE
Please Support Operation Easter Basket
RIGHT NOW, while the need is in your mind, won't you please donate? We receive no government funds, and depend entirely on people like you.
WE HOPE YOU share our love for animals, kids and the environment, and our wish is that you'll consider a gift of $25, $50, $100, $250 or another amount so that we can continue to bring you and our community fun events and meaningful projects.
CHECKS to Community Action Team, CA, Inc., or simply "CAT," Attn. Operation Easter Basket, 3040 E. First Street, Long Beach, CA 90803.
TAX ID: 05-0545777
• Each basket averages $25.
•
Donations are tax deductible.
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THE MAIN PURPOSE of the Community Action Team (CAT) is to promote social well-being among the general public. As a 501c3 nonprofit corporation governed by a board of directors, contributions to CAT are tax deductible and are used to help produce quality events within our community that benefit children, animals, and the environment.
C.A.T. IS AN UMBRELLA organization that includes
4Halloween Kids' Costume Contest
4July 4 Kids' Bike Parade
4Interfaith Blessing of the Animals
4$1,000 National Kids Spelling Bee
4Nat'l Adult Spelling Bee
4Belmont Shore Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest
4Haute Dog Howl'oween Parade
4Operation Easter Basket
4Operation Santa Paws
45k/10k Long Beach Turkey Trot
4monthly 30-Minute Beach Cleanups
4Clothing giveaways to the underserved
4Bulldog Beauty Contest
I AM A FIRM believer in the collective power of individuals joined in a spirit of goodwill and generous giving to bring about the success of a community.
-
Justin Rudd!
Justin's motto:
MARK TWAIN once wrote: "Twenty years from now you will be more
disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you
did. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover."
MY MOTTO IS "EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER."
I WANT TO Explore, Dream and Discover as much as possible in my
life here on earth, and I want my Web sites to empower, equip and
incite others to do the same.
I WANT TO help folks to find something
new and exciting to do and experience. That's why I I formed
my charitable organization and named it the "Community Action
Team"— a name that I feel encompasses all the varied activities
and events that I have (and will continue to) organized for the
good of our community.
WHAT CAN I DO to help you explore your potential, make a dream
come true or discover new frontiers? I hope to hear from you.
Yours
truly,
Justin Rudd! |
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2024 SUCCESS: 2,458 baskets distributed, plus dozens boxes of leftover product donated to agencies in need.
21ST ANNUAL
SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2025, 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. We are having a one-day volunteer effort to put together about 2,250 gender-neutral baskets (for kids age 4-12) at Bay Shore Church. We welcome donations of products for baskets beforehand, and at the event. Volunteers of all ages welcome. See our product wish list below, and consider a tax-deductible financial donation at www.JustinRudd.com/donate
2024 sponsor: Christie Peck
2024 Candy bar sponsor, Amanda & Kevin Johnson, in memory of Amanda's mother Mary Turner, affectionately known as Madam Sucre because she loved sweets!
Wish List
Bags of individually-wrapped candy, boxes of granola bars, books for ages 4-12, markers, gender-neutral toys. Boxes of full-size, popular candy bars from Costco or Smart & Final.
Drop off items and/or completed baskets to the church's youth center, 5200 E. The Toledo, on Sunday, ARPIL 13, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Email Justin@JustinRudd.com with any questions.
Best way to help: Donate online now.
• Each basket should average $20.
• Please consider a gift of $25, $50, $100, $250 or more.
•
Donations are tax deductible.
Some previous organizations that received our completed baskets:
• AIDS Food Store
• A Future Superhero
• Aloha Elementary School
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Long Beach
• CA Families in Focus
• Children's Bureau/All for Kids
• Christian Outreach in Action
• HOPE Foundation
• Let Us Inc.!
• Long Beach Rescue Mission
• Love Beyond Limits - Long Beach
• Miller Children's Hospital - Welcome Baby Program
• New Image
• Operation Jump Start
• Prep Ed
• Tichenor Clinic for Children
• Washington Middle School
• YMCA
Free completed baskets for schools and organizations
Priority is for LBUSD schools. To request baskets for your Long Beach nonprofit organization or school, email Justin@JustinRudd.com about two weeks before Easter with first names, ages, genders of each child; as well as totals for each age/gender. We'll do our best to create baskets for you, and will respond via email if we can fulfill your request after the March 24 basket-making event.
Will you drop off some completed baskets for Easter?
 Baskets should average about $20- $25 and contain small toys, school supplies (i.e. note pad, pens, pencils), art supplies (i.e. crayons, markers), hygiene products (i.e. toothbrushes, full-size toothpaste, full-size shampoo and full-size body wash, acne face wash), essential clothing items (i.e. socks), and some full-size Easter candy bars and granola bars.
NO TOY GUNS: Please do not put toy guns or toy water guns/sprayers in baskets for this program.
Host Committee 2025 Members Wanted
Will you serve on the host committee for Operation Easter Basket ? RSVP to Justin@JustinRudd.com if you can commit to:
• posting about it on social media, and
• donating (or getting donated by your friends, family, teammates, and co-workers) at least 20 completed baskets or $500 (or more) in cash or in-kind donations, and
• NOTE: there are no host committee meetings.
Contact Justin@JustinRudd.com
FILL A BASKET. FEEL THE LOVE.
Operation Easter Basket Delivers Hope and Cheer & Needs Your Help
 CAN WE COUNT ON YOU and four friends to put together five Easter baskets - one for each of you - for needy Long Beach kids?
OPERATION EASTER BASKET seeks to bring joy and hope to children in desperate situations right here in the Long Beach area through gift-filled Easter Baskets containing items such as:
• school supplies, (notepads, pens, pencils
• hygiene products, (hair brush, toothbrush, full-size toothpaste, full-size body washes, and full-size shampoo)
• art supplies (Crayons, coloring books, markers)
• essential clothing items (socks, ball caps)
• and some Easter candy and granola bars.
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 How and What to Pack in Your Baskets
• 4 simple steps
 1. First, decide whether your gift will be for a boy or girl and choose an age category: (3-5), (6-10), (11-13). Attach a note to the handle of your Easter basket that says "BOY" or "GIRL" and the age category (i.e. BOY, age 6-10).
 2. Find an Easter basket or Easter bucket (buckets are provided on the week of Easter at Bay Shore Church) that you can use to hold your goodies. Take a look at the items listed below to judge the size basket you think you'll need.
 3. Then, fill your basket with a variety of gifts and essential items that will delight a kid. Contents should average $20:
• TOYS: small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, plastic kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, small Etch A Sketch, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky, etc.
: stacking blocks, pull toys, bathtub toys, small stuffed toys. Ages 3-5: dolls, wooden puzzles, educational toys, busy blocks, teddy bears, puppets, books. Ages 6-10: action figures, legos, bubble bath, balls, Barbies, stickers, play dough, paint sets. Ages 11-13: board games, watches, Frisbees, soccer balls, footballs, purses.
• SCHOOL & ART SUPPLIES: pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, coloring books, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, etc.
•FULL-SIZE HYGIENE ITEMS: toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, soap, comb, bubble bath, washcloth, etc.
• ESSENTIAL CLOTHING: socks, T-shirts, slippers, ball caps, etc.
4MORE IDEAS: manufacturer's-packaged candy (i.e. no loose jelly beans or candies), age-appropriate hard candy (i.e. not too small for a young child to choke on), lollipops, mints, gum, sunglasses, flashlights with extra batteries, toy jewelry sets, hair clips, watches, small picture books, gift certificates, books, etc.
 4. Wrap your basket in a cellophane bag. And, be sure to mark an appropriate age range & gender for your basket (as listed in step 1 above) on an attached tag.
DROP OFF YOUR BASKETS
Bay Shore Church, 5100 E. The Toledo @ Granada Ave., Belmont Shore, 90803.
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS ALSO NEEDED
 We can help make Easter Baskets for you and we truly appreciate any gift, monetary or in-kind, that would help us to make possible this Easter effort of love. Your tax-deductible check or gift can be payable/mailed to: "CAT" c/o Justin Rudd, 3040 E. First Street, Long Beach, CA 90803. Please write Easter Basket in the check's memo line. Or, CLICK HERE to donate by credit card now.
CLUBS, SCHOOL GROUPS & PLACES OF WORSHIP WELCOME
In addition to efforts by caring individuals, we welcome and encourage participation by area organizations.
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• Learn what to put in a basket.
• Become a fan on Facebook.
2019 Operation a Success!
WHER THEY WENT: About 500 volunteers created and donated 3,814 essentials-filled baskets during the 17-hour, 3-day Operation Easter Basket put on by Justin Rudd's nonprofit Community Action Team (CAT). Baskets went to 32 agencies and schools in the Long Beach area:
Bayfront Youth & Family 124
Christian Outreach in Action 509
Community Action Team (CAT) 18
Creative Arts/Huntington Academy 71
Day Laborers of Signal Hill 145
Harbor UCLA Medical Center 40
Long Beach Rescue Mission 695
Love Beyond Limits - Long Beach 100
Miller Children's Hospital 30
MLK Park after school program 20
Starr King neighborhood 50
Sign-up to volunteer at other CAT events here: JustinRudd.com/volunteer
View Larger Map
TELL A FRIEND
JustinRudd.com/easter
CONTACT
Justin@JustinRudd.com
EMAIL UPDATES
If you'd like to receive updates on this program, please SIGN-UP HERE.
 SINCE 2005, this program, began by Justin Rudd and his 501c3 nonprofit Community Action Team (CAT) in 2005, provides an opportunity for people of all ages to be involved in a simple, hands-on project while focusing on the true meaning of love -- the greatest gift.
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"Justin Rudd makes the Energizer Bunny look about as speedy as a fire hydrant."
-- Tim Grobaty, columnist, Long Beach Press-Telegram
"The best friend of Long Beach dogs." --Tom Hennessy, Long Beach Press-Telegram; April 5, 2005
"Meet Mr. Tireless. Sometimes we think that if Justin Rudd never moved to Belmont Shore, the place would be overrun with feral cats and you'd be able to walk from Ocean Boulevard to the sea at Granada on a luxurious blanket of Styrofoam and cigarette butts. Instead, thanks to his work and the word "tireless' didn't exist until Rudd began walking and talking with dogs and clean-ups and education and miscellaneous pageantry, the Shore is a better place to live."
-- Tim Grobaty, columnist, Long Beach Press-Telegram; March 2, 2005 |
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