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Once each decade, the U.S. Census Bureau attempts to count every person in the United States.

Santa Cruz County homeless advocates on Jan. 18 released a request for proposals to help address the growing number of people living on the streets.

The Shadowbrook Restaurant in Capitola is hosting its annual “Dine for the Red Cross” fundraiser on Jan. 15.

APTOS — On Jan. 13, the Monterey Bay Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers will hold its annual winter Scion Exchange at the Cabrillo College Horticulture Center in Aptos from noon to 3 p.m.

Girl Scout Troop 10213 of Aptos recently donated more than 50 jackets to Dominican Hospital as part of their holiday charity project. The 10- and 11-year-olds collected the coats through donation drives at Mar Vista and Soquel elementary schools. The jackets will be added to the hospital’s “patient closet,” and will be provided to any patient who needs a coat when they leave the hospital.

Light up that tree Santa makes the rounds Dec. 1 in Aptos at the annual tree lighting ceremony. Sheriff's deputies, firefighters, girl and boy scouts, vendors and live music added to the festivities. The event is hosted by the Aptos Chamber of Commerce.

This year, however, could prove to be one of the organization's most difficult in its three-decade history. The loss of Toys R Us, which shut down all of its stores in the nation in June, could result in 1,500 fewer toys this year, according to Valadez.

For years, a temporary building has served as the Capitola Library, which included a modest bank of computers, a colorful children’s section and an astonishing number of books, given the diminutive size of the place.

From serving freshly cooked food at banquets, special events, festivals and other community events, the two-man crew inside the ShockWave Food Truck is, well, riding a wave of success.

CAPITOLA — St. John’s Helpful Shop in Capitola Village is preparing to move out and find a new home after 65 years. A literal cornerstone of the village, St. John’s Helpful Shop first opened at its location on the corner of Monterey and Capitola avenues in 1953. Women from the Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist, then located in the Depot Hill area of Capitola, opened the store to raise money for a new church carpet. Gradually, the church grew, and the shop became a way for St. John’s to expand its community outreach. Church and community members alike volunteer their time at the shop, with all proceeds given as grants to local nonprofits. The building that houses the Helpful Shop recently changed hands, said shop volunteer Daniel Oliver. This has prompted them to move out and possibly find a new location. “We’re currently making a decision of where and when we can reopen,” Oliver said. “We’d like to get the word out and ask help from the community.” In 2018, St. John’s Helpful Shop helped support 26 different organizations across the region — including Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes, Homeless Services Center, Native Animal Rescue, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County and more. “That’s really the whole point,” Oliver said. “The outreach. We’d really like to keep that going.” Aug. 25 was the Helpful Shop’s final day open at its Capitola Village location. The Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist is now located at 125 Canterbury Drive in Aptos, and Helpful Shop volunteers say they hope to find a location not too far from the church itself — but are open to other ideas. To contact St. John’s Helpful Shop, visit st-john-aptos.org.