Family Giving Tree launches Holiday Wish Drive

Holiday Wish Drive

Family Giving Tree is looking for donations of time as well as gifts for children and seniors in need and community members who are transitioning into permanent housing. The goal of the Milpitas-based nonprofit’s 2022 Holiday Wish Drive is to deliver gifts to 40,000 residents in 14 Bay Area counties by Dec. 23. Community members are encouraged lead a holiday drive, donate a gift from the nonprofit’s “Most Needed Gifts” list or make a financial donation.

To accomplish its goal, Family Giving Tree has a network of hundreds of drive leaders, thousands of warehouse volunteers and donors and more 250 social service agencies and organizations.

For more information about volunteering, visit familygivingtree.org/get-involved. To donate, visit familygivingtree.org/donate.

Drive-thru testing

IGeneX Laboratory has introduced combo testing for COVID-19, flu and RSV at its drive-thru facility at 556 Gibraltar Drive in Milpitas. The test requires only one nasal swab, and detects all three illnesses.

Appointments are available every five minutes, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Testing is free with all insurances, and results are provided in 24 hours.

To schedule an appointment, visit https://igenex.com/onsite-covid-19-flu-rsv-testing.

Salamanders’ secrets

The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority is hosting a virtual Friday lunch presentation Dec. 16 to learn all about the shy and sensitive tiger salamander. Topics will include their lifecycle, where salamanders live and breed, why they are endangered and how the authority works to protect tiger salamander habitat.

The Zoom webinar is set for noon-1 p.m. Register at Eventbrite.com to receive the meeting link.