ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KGTV) — Common Grounds isn't a regular cafe. It’s a cafe inside TERI's, a non-profit in San Marcos that serves people with developmental disabilities.
“We really promote inclusion," said Jackie Kiesel, the manager of Common Grounds Cafe. "We always say all ages and abilities are welcome here.”
Kiesel was assigned to find a Santa for a holiday party this year. Their budget was tight.
“Kids go crazy over Santa,” Kiesel said.
So she hired Sean Garcia.
“My name is Sean Garcia, AKA Seanta Clause,” Garcia said.
For the last eight years, Seanta Clause volunteers as Santa for people who can't afford it otherwise. It’s all about paying it forward when he gives to organizations like TERI's; they can then offer more to the community.
“He donates his time, then we can donate that," Kiesel said. "Pictures are free; entrance is free.”
Seanta does this and more. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, he collects gifts to give to hundreds of people in his Facebook group “Seanta Clause and Friends.”
“I drive around town, have a prize of whatever I'm giving away, take a picture of the prize or myself with the prize with a hint in the background of where I'm at," Garcia said. "Post it on our Facebook page, and the first one to find me wins that prize.”
This year he also raised money to give Christmas dinner, clothes, and gifts to eleven families.
“It’s all about giving. That’s why I do it. It's fun for me,” Garcia said.
Garcia does all of this on the weekends, in addition to his full-time job as a mechanic. But he says it’s worth it to help others during the holidays.
“It’s Christmas- what more reason do you need?” he said.
Garcia says he wants to start planning for December year-round. He hopes to organize another fundraiser in July next year.
