BHUSD, Beverly Hills Police Lead Record Holiday Gift Drive

For more than half a century, the Beverly Hills Unified School District PTA Council has quietly carried out one of the city’s most meaningful holiday traditions: a toy drive rooted in community care rather than ceremony. This year, that tradition did more than continue. It evolved.

Operation Gift Drop 2025 marked a turning point in how Beverly Hills approaches community service. What had long been a school-centered effort became a fully coordinated citywide collaboration, uniting BHUSD, the PTA Council, and the Beverly Hills Police Department around a single goal. The result was not just a smoother operation, but a broader sense of ownership across the city.

The numbers tell part of the story. More than 1,200 gifts were collected, surpassing every previous year’s total. But the more meaningful shift was in visibility and participation. With the police department lending its presence and logistical support, the drive reached beyond campuses and into neighborhoods, businesses, and civic spaces that might not otherwise have been engaged.

That expanded reach mattered. Holiday drives succeed not only on generosity, but on trust. Seeing city institutions work together sent a clear message: this effort belongs to everyone. The police department’s involvement was not symbolic; it was practical, visible, and effective, reinforcing the idea that public safety includes showing up for the community in moments of need.

The scale of the response also reflected individual leadership. The Beverly Hills Basketball League, along with Fred Farahmand and Phillip Asherian, contributed more than 600 toys, the largest single donation of the drive. Their support underscored how private initiative can amplify public efforts when the framework is right.

The campaign’s closing moments captured its spirit. As gifts were prepared for delivery, representatives from the city’s schools, police, and fire departments worked side by side. Mayor Sharona Nazarian joined the effort, acknowledging not just the volume of donations, but the collaboration that made them possible.

In an era when civic life often feels fragmented, Operation Gift Drop offered a reminder of what local government and community organizations can accomplish when they align. It was not about headlines or branding. It was about coordination, trust, and a shared commitment to the well-being of others.

Beverly Hills did not simply break a record this holiday season. It demonstrated a model for how institutions can work together in service of something larger than themselves. And that may be the most valuable gift of all.