A most unlikely ride for Jolly Old St. Nick this year looks more like a box than a sleigh, but that is how Steve Yapp, owner of the Ventura and Santa Maria PODS franchises, prefers to transport the many gifts local communities gather together for distribution up and down the Central Coast and Southern California communities.

Since opening his franchises in 2005, Yapp has continually given back to local communities by providing resources so that organizations can step up efforts in their own fundraising drives, ultimately assisting thousands of residents through networks.

"We are passionate about dong the right thing, whether that is in our overall business practice, and certainly by giving back to the Ventura and Santa Barbara communities that support us as a business owner," Yapp says. "It is a responsibility for every business that can, to give back whenever and wherever possible. We hope that PODS is making a small difference in the lives of people who live, work and play here."

Using PODS containers, organizers can effectively manage donations that often pour in from the community to help during the year, whether during annual holiday drives or natural disasters. They are then delivered to appropriate locations for timely distribution, often saving the charity or nonprofit group thousands of dollars in budget funds.

A grand supporter of champion causes, Yapp has donated countless of his PODS branded containers for use by nonprofit and charitable organizations as storage, event headquarters or to transport goods to those in need. Organizations recently assisted include the Boys & Girls Club of Ventura, Relay for Life Cancer Walk/Run, Toys 4 Tots holiday toy drives, the American Lung Association, Casa Pacifica, Optimist Club, Chocolate Festival, Sea Bee Days, Oxnard Boy Scouts, Simi Valley Days, Ojai Music Festival and the Strawberry Festival to name a few. He also placed PODS containers in several Albertson's grocery store parking lots in Santa Barbara to collect donations for victims of the recent San Diego fires — delivering the PODS to shelters for distribution.

An event that holds a special place in the hearts of the PODS family is the holiday food drive for FOOD Share of Ventura County, currently in full swing. PODS has partnered with VONS to place a container in 20 grocery store parking lots throughout Ventura County to collect donations for the regional food bank. Donations can be made at VONS through Dec. 24.

Charity organizations interested in working with PODS storage systems in support of their upcoming events are encouraged to contact Steve Yapp at 805-797-5063.

For more information as to the location of the collection centers, call 644-6503 or visit the Web site at www.pods.com/ventura.html or www.pods.com/santabarbara.html.

The local Ventura PODS warehouse is at 6050 King Drive, Ventura. The local Santa Maria PODS warehouse is at 3042 Industrial Drive, Suite 106, Santa Maria.