By Lily Mitchell
Executive Sports Editor
The P.S. I Love You Foundation held its 21st-annual Day at the Beach Celebration on Oct. 22, where 300 adult mentors and their families came together in Manhattan Beach to share love with 300 underserved children.
The P.S. I Love You Foundation was founded in 1998 by current Redondo Beach resident Patricia Jones and was inspired by her mother and a woman named Millie Taylor. Taylor’s daughter and granddaughter were incarcerated indefinitely and left behind five children. Jones helped Taylor by taking care of the children on the weekend and contributing to her rent and grocery bills. Taylor’s struggle inspired Jones to found the P.S. I Love You Foundation to support youth like Taylor’s grandchildren.
“Millie was a woman, 20 years older [than me], who I befriended at work,” said Jones. “Millie worked in [the] hospital where I sold medical instruments, and I knew her whole life story.”
This nonprofit organization is dedicated to the development of social-emotional learning programs and mentor collaboratives, which aim to teach children how to positively manage the various challenges and emotions of adolescence, according to Jones. The P.S. I Love You Foundation helps 700 to 1,000 at-risk youth a year through its annual beach event, as well as through both during and after-school programs.
“I believe my search for her was guided and way bigger than me,” Jones said. “I realized if Millie could do something so grand with her life for others, what was I doing with my life?”
During the event, at-risk youth come to Manhattan Beach and are matched with a mentor. Mentors and students spend the day together and engage in various activities including relay races, arts and crafts, and games.
“The girl that I mentored was very shy at first, but throughout the day she warmed up to us, and in the end, she was super sad to leave,” said senior and fifth-year volunteer Nicole Macias. “I’m grateful for this opportunity and the fact that I was able to make a positive impact on this little girl’s life. The Day at the Beach Celebration has inspired me to volunteer for more events like these.”
Costa’s boys baseball team was one of the youth groups that volunteered for the Annual Day at the Beach Celebration on Oct. 22. On top of that, many other Costa students participated in the local charity event.
“The baseball team ran relay races with the kids, giving us the opportunity to make cool memories with them,” junior Nicholai Arnold said. “I love seeing everyone come together as a community and helping those in need.”
According to Jones, the foundation’s vision is to ensure that every child holds a healthy sense of self, feels and gives love freely and truly believes they can accomplish great things. On Oct. 22, that vision was achieved, and the community was overflowing with love and kindness, according to Jones.
“Love is what we all need to stay healthy and continue to make positive choices for ourselves,” Jones said. “The day offers a way for everyone to give back, and it brings people together from different demographics and backgrounds, building trust, insight, and hope in each other and in
the world around us. You can see on their children’s faces the love they build so quickly for their mentor.”
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