“Presence of Love” Gifts Sent Out for Valentine’s Day

PRESENT NOW, a Santa Monica based nonprofit, delivers happiness and hope to youth living in 152 domestic violence shelters in 15 states across the nation, one present at a time. Domestic violence has long-lasting effects, especially on youth. By focusing on personalized gifts, PRESENT NOW helps them spark joy and find moments of optimism and healing in the midst of challenging circumstances. Through a network of volunteers, personalized gifts are sent for their birthday, Valentine’s Day and back-to-school, ensuring these youth feel seen, loved, and supported by a caring community. To date, Present Now has provided nearly 19,000 personalized gifts! 

As we move into February, studies show that incidences of domestic violence increase around Valentine’s Day and Super Bowl weekend. Therefore, volunteers recently packed 1,200 PRESENT NOW “Presence of Love” gifts featuring an age-appropriate STEAM-oriented item to encourage and aid in learning, so youth can pursue their education and tap into their creativity no matter where they are living. Additionally, PRESENT NOW celebrated the memory of 16 year old Samantha “Sami” Liber who was a bright and shining star, a volunteer with the organization for many years until a tragic accident took her life way too soon. Her beautiful soul and passion for art was the inspiration for creating Sami’s art kits that were included in the 2025 Presence of Love Valentine’s Day gifts. 

After the devastating Los Angeles fires, PRESENT NOW worked quickly to assist the community by providing new clothes, toys and books to those who lost their homes. Our hearts are with everyone impacted.

We invite you to join us in championing our mission of supporting youth and teens impacted by domestic violence and supporting efforts to bring healing and hope to those who need it most. Visit PRESENTNOW.org to learn more.