When Carl Salinas was growing up as one of seven siblings in San Jose, he was on the receiving end of many charitable efforts and his family often had to purchase clothing from second-hand stores.
“As I got older, I never forgot about that,” Salinas recalled.
Now, the 47-year-old successful business owner of Pacific Coast Recycling, a public transfer station on Obata Way in Gilroy, is giving back to children and their families who suffer a similar plight.
Last year, he spent $7,500 to buy Christmas gifts for 100 children at Rebekah Children’s Services on I.O.O.F. Ave. in Gilroy – children who would have otherwise been without presents for the holiday.
This year, Salinas is not stopping with the giving and hopes that community members will help in his cause to deliver presents to more than 100 children at Rebekah Children’s Services before Christmas.
“We gave them some presents already, but they still need a 100,” said Salinas, who will match any donation made by one of his customers or community members who stops by his facility at 5895 Obata Way. “As of right now, 30 or 40 children are covered…we’re trying to get it to 150.”
Salinas prefers residents bring gifts rather than money. Donations can also be made directly to Rebekah Children’s Services by calling (408) 846-2457.
“We’re starting to get some (donations) in,” Salinas said. “It was a little slow at first, but it has started to pick up since we’re getting closer to Christmas.”
During Christmas time last year, Salinas was having lunch with a co-worker who grew up in the same San Jose neighborhood and they began reminiscing. That’s when he decided that he wanted to extend his kindness to needy children just like others did for him when he was a kid.
“I said, ‘I really want to do something for children, but I don’t know how to go about this,’” recalled Salinas, who did some research during lunch, found Rebekah Children’s Services and immediately drove over to the facility. “I asked, ‘How can I help and what can I do?”
After being told that 100 of the 500 children at Rebekah Children’s Services were still without gifts, Salinas jumped at the opportunity to be part of their holiday cheer.
“I took all 100 kids. I told them I’ll take them all,” remembered Salinas. “It was just something I felt in my heart that I needed to do.”
For the next week and a half, Salinas went shopping – buying 300 presents, three for each child – and then delivered them to the facility a couple of days before Christmas.
“When these kids start to be adults, they’ll remember that somebody did something for them when they were children,” Salinas said. “Hopefully they’ll be touched by this like I was.”
