Article by Marsha Mason (San Gabriel Valley Examiner) On September 9, 2024, the Glendora Coordinating Council presented its Humanitarian Awards to the Donut Man, Jim Nakano, and Glendora High School Senior Isabella Garcia.
Jim Nakano is more than just “the Donut Man.” He is also the September Humanitarian Award
Recipient as honored by the Glendora Community Coordinating Council (GCCC).
His strawberry donuts have been featured nationally on the “Today” show and Food
Network’s “The Best Things I Ever Ate,” and Nakano himself has been interviewed by local
news stations and bloggers for decades. And, while many Glendorans bring their out-of-state
friends and family members to the shop on Route 66 to taste his wares, few may be aware that
Nakano works quietly behind the scenes to help make Glendora a “sweet” place to live.
A member of the Rotary Club, Nakano has quietly dedicated his time and resources to
supporting youth sports, school music programs, Glendora’s pictures with Santa, and the
Glendora Public Library’s (GPL) summer reading programs.
“There would not be a summer reading challenge without a donut from Donut Man as incentive,”
said Maggie Lara, executive director of GPL’s Friends Foundation. Jim is a man of “sincere
humility and kindness,” she added. Cindy Romero, GPL’s library service manager, thanked Nakano: “Thank you for your support. From the gingerbread houses to pictures with Santa, we thank you for your support throughout the year.” Bob Kuhn, who introduced Nakano, said that honoring Jim with an award like this is “long overdue.” According to Kuhn, Nakano’s dedication and hard work made Donut Man “more than a donut shop.” Because of Jim’s “kindness, generosity, and general care,” Kuhn said, Donut Man has not just employed hundreds of young people, but it has also “taught them the meaning of work and ethics.”
Isabella Garcia received the Youth Recognition Award from the Glendora Community Coordinating Council in September for her efforts to create and provide hygiene kits to women and young women in the community.
A senior at Glendora High School, Garcia is active with the school’s National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) and volunteers for Los Angeles’ Department of Public Health (DPH). After organizing a donation drive at the high school to collect feminine hygiene products, Garcia collaborated with volunteers at LA’s DPH to create over 150 feminine hygiene kits that were then donated to Glendora Unified School District’s (GUSD) “Glendora Gives” Family Resource Center.
“I am so proud of her efforts. She is such an example of what it is to give of self to school and community,” said Jocie Wilson, Director of Student and Support Family Services for GUSD. City Council member Karen Davis recognized that while it is “Wellness Week” at Glendora High School, the giving of this award to Garcia is particularly well-timed. These kits will “provide for physical needs as well as the spiritual needs and self-esteem” of the students and families who receive them, Davis said. “Glendora Gives” is collaborating with Garcia to distribute the kits, which will be made available to GUSD families and students in need. As a community-supported resource center within GUSD, Glendora Gives is located at Williams Educational Center and offers clothing, infant care supplies, toiletries, school and home supplies, and other items to GUSD families in need, free of charge. Garcia’s contributions will support their efforts. Greg Gillham of the Glendora Kiwanis Club expressed gratitude for Garcia’s service. This is “excellent work. Changing the community one person at a time,” he said.
To get more information about the Glendora Coordinating Council and to nominate a recipient, please visit https://glendoracoordinatingcouncil.org/.
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