Girl’s School Project Becomes Gift Drive for Abused Women

WESTMINSTER —  What began as the theme for an 11-year-old girl’s current events report blossomed Tuesday into a nationwide gift collection for victims of domestic abuse.

After watching the O.J. Simpson trial and the Million Man March on television, Jessica Meier, a sixth-grader at Oak Middle School in Los Alamitos, envisioned a rally for women such as Nicole Brown Simpson, whose family has said she was a victim of abuse during her marriage to the former football star.

“I was doing a current events report on the Million Man March, and I remember hearing a television analyst talk about how much the O.J. Simpson trial raised awareness of domestic violence,” Jessica said. “I told my parents there should be a march for the victims of domestic violence, and they thought it would be a cool thing to do too.”

Her parents, Tom and J.J. Meier, operate a Westminster company that plans special events for shopping centers. Through their business connections, they garnered support from 35 malls across the nation, including four in Orange County.

As part of the first Mothers’ March Against Domestic Violence, the shopping centers set up booths near their holiday displays and invited shoppers to donate unwanted gifts to shelters for abused women.

“The event snowballed across the country after the word got around from mall to mall,” J.J. Meier said. “It was quite a piece of networking. This was supposed to be a one-time event, but now we’re planning to continue it next year.”

At Westminster Mall, shoppers gave teddy bears, Barbie dolls, diapers, toy cars and clothes to the Human Options shelter for abused women and their children.

Juan Castro, 23, and Christie Carroll, 20, dropped off a black sweater that they had purchased just to give away.

“After we read the sign, we went to Robinsons-May and bought the sweater,” said Castro, who lives in Westminster. “We know a lot of people need help, so we wanted to do something. It’s nice to give, especially around this time of the year.”

Other malls with gift collecting sites were Huntington Beach Mall, Buena Park Mall and Rossmoor Shopping Center in Seal Beach. The items donated will go to four Orange County shelters.

“It’s a wonderful idea, and I think if we do this year after year, the idea will take hold,” said Judy Tucker, a volunteer at Human Options.

Though fewer shoppers participated than organizers had hoped for, sponsors and volunteers said they were not discouraged.

“Everywhere we’ve been, we’ve had wonderful people bringing things,” J.J. Meier said. “The shelters vitally need all the things we take for granted. The donations certainly don’t need to be fancy gift items.”