But it takes a person of great conviction and commitment to think of those less fortunate, and work to make their lives better beyond Christmas, once the lights have been taken down and life gets back to normal. We’d like to introduce you to two such people who do amazing work within our own city. Their efforts may result in happy faces on Christmas morning, but their work is year-round.

They work on different types of projects with different types of people, yet they are similar in a way that is crucial to the telling of their story: it is nearly impossible to describe everything they do.

“Every church and every organization has a youth center but how can you get kids to come and keep coming back?” he asks. He answers his own question – saying that through offering their time to repair old bicycles, kids can earn either all the parts to fix up their own, or a whole bike. Dave explains, “So many hours equal so much bike. I’ve got kids that have done 300 hours to earn a bicycle. That gives you 300 hours to mentor these kids. That’s the basic concept behind the program.”

He says the program is very successful, with kids spending many hours working, because the bikes draw them in. “Every kid that comes in will be back because eventually he’ll have a flat tire or his bike will break or whatever. We teach them how to repair their bike, with the correct tools.”

The program also emphasizes safety, and with one day of work kids earn a bike helmet. And when Dave’s Bikes 90800 kids participate in parades by riding the bikes they have earned, they are all wearing helmets.

Dave San Jose’s name has become synonymous with community service, and with bicycles. Throughout the year, various city organizations undertake fundraising efforts and by the holiday season, whatever money they have gathered goes towards new bikes for kids. Dave’s people put them together, and the police department picks them up and hands them out the week before Christmas.

But this North Long Beach Santa on two wheels delivers holiday spirit all year round.

Bikes 90800 is open every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 2 – 5 p.m, and all day on Saturdays. You can find them at Houghton Park, in a building at the back of the baseball bleachers.

There is a pillow in the home office of Karen Braverman-Freeman that is emblazoned with a thought that she uses as a guiding principle: “A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the type of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world might be different because I was important in the life of a child.”

And there can be no doubt that the world is different, and better, for many Long Beach children and their families, thanks to the efforts of Karen.

The recipients of her efforts are not your average children or families. These are the ones who have been dealt a double blow – diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, and whose families are challenged financially at the same time.

Linda Muro-Garcia, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center in Miller Children’s Hospital at Memorial Hospital, explains the Adopt-A-Family program that benefits from Karen’s work.

“It’s a program that’s been going for some years,” she says, “in which we identify our neediest of patients during the holidays; newly-diagnosed with cancer or a serious blood disorder, in relapse or generally in great need. And we match them up with people in the community who say ‘We’d like to help a family out for the holidays.’ This is for the whole family, so for the patient, siblings, as well as the parents.” Adopt a family program is a program largely funded and supported by the Long Beach Cancer League.

A family that needs help is identified and given a wish list to fill out. They can include items they need, and those that they want. People who wish to participate can use funds that have been raised to fill the family’s wish list, or donate their own money to purchase gifts. It’s a dream for someone like Karen, who enjoys finding things all year round for the holiday giving.

“I’m shopping all year long and I donate everything that I can find for the kids. I store everything at my house until the season, and then everything comes out of the big plastic tubs,” she says.

That effort culminates in a frenzy of organizing and wrapping for a week before the gifts are given to the families. Special wishes are fulfilled where possible, as well. Karen shares a story about a 15-year-old cancer patient who wanted a guitar.

“I have a friend who is a wonderful gospel guitarist at the House of Blues,” she says. “ And I contacted him and asked him if he knew a store or someone who could donate a guitar. And the someone that could was him – he donated a beautiful guitar and a book for her and then he actually wrote a card out to her that he would come and give her lessons wherever she wanted.”

All gifts are given anonymously so kids and their families are not aware that it is Karen (or any other of the volunteers who participate in the program) who was their Secret Santa. But recognition is not why these big-hearted people do their good deeds. For Karen, you could say it was something she always wanted to do.

“When I was a little girl, my dream was to be one of Santa’s elves or to help Mother Teresa,” she says. “It was a really unusual dream for me because I’m Jewish. In my faith we have a word called mitzvah and mitzvah means blessing or good deed. And so I think that most of my life that’s really what I’ve tried to do for the less fortunate.”

Dave San Jose and Karen Braverman-Freeman are just two among so many who do quiet work, often without recognition, to make the world a better place for those who need a little help. If you are inspired to make a difference as well, we’ve compiled a list of local organizations and events of the season where you can make a donation, or help out.

For list of organizations, visit: www.longbeachmagazine.com/santashelpers