NONPROFITS BENEFIT FROM HONDA DRIVE DEALERSHIP DONATES FUNDS TO TRIO OF ORGANIZATIONS.

Byline: Peggy Hager Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Three nonprofit organizations have coffers padded with $18,000 thanks to the staff at Robertson's Palmdale Honda.

The dealership's Dollars From Heaven campaign provided $8,000 to the Children's Center of the Antelope Valley, $5,000 to the Grace Resource Center food bank and $5,000 to The Sherman Group.

The campaign is the dealership employees' annual alternative to sending holiday gifts to businesses and customers.

``The people that participate with us and that are most involved in the betterment of children at the grass-roots level, that are really trying to redirect kids, are who we pick. It's always a tough pick,'' said Ron Emard, Robertson's Palmdale Honda general manager.

Grace Resource Center, based in Lancaster, serves meals and provides food and clothing to 6,000 needy Antelope Valley residents a month year, year-round.

The Children's Center provides counseling and other help to abused and neglected children. The center will use the $8,000 to enhance a play therapy program that officials say is an effective way to get sexually abused children to open up and work through their trauma.

When the checks were handed over last week, center executive director Debbie Grant, in thanks, presented to Emard two pictures drawn by 4- and 6-year-old client graduates depicting flowers and smiley faces.

``He's been a heavy supporter of us for the past few years. He's amazing really. Not only financial support but emotional support and physical support,'' Grant said.

The Sherman Group provides shelter and therapy for abused and disadvantaged children throughout California, with three homes in the Antelope Valley.

``Kids who have been taken out of their homes because of abusive situations and they don't have any place to go, rather than put them through some type of institutionalized type setting, we set up residential type housing ... targeting family lifestyles and we try to treat them that way,'' explained Ray Sherman, founder and chief executive officer.

The money will help pay the therapists who staff the homes.

The group's homes house 60 youngsters ages 11 to 17, with 18 of them in the Antelope Valley.

``Our program is also geared toward family reunification. I'm glad to say, it's rare that you get a child that doesn't have a family to go back to,'' Sherman said.