I know, I know, you did your charitable giving on December 31st, but it’s a new year and time to think of what we can do to make the San Gabriel Valley a better place for 2009 and beyond. In that spirit, I’d like to draw your attention to a worthy nonprofit that’s coming to town: Mama’s Hot Tamales.
Mama’s is a thriving small-business incubator in L.A.’s MacArthur Park, giving Mexican and Central American women the opportunity to learn how to start and run their own small businesses and/or get jobs in the restaurant industry — and in the process giving the neighborhood a wonderful café, community center and tamale resource. This terrific organization is taking over the old Big Red Barn building at 45 N. San Gabriel Boulevard. It already secured the $1.75 million needed to buy the building; now they’re raising the final $750,000 for renovation and equipment. Please consider starting your culinary new year out with a donation that will provide job training and business growth to our community, plus feed us wonderful tamales!

Go to www.iurd.org for details.