‘Operation Juice Box’ helps build relationships

BY Ariana Shah

Jeannie Hoonirun sees a simple juice box as a great tool for building better relationships. Piggybacking on a national nonprofit, Operation Juice Box, Jeannie is determined to spread the good vibes in Canyon Lake between its children and its law enforcement.

Jeannie, who has lived in Canyon Lake for five years, began this project last year while being involved with the Booze Fairies, a Canyon Lake Facebook Group who anonymously gifted baskets with alcohol to each other during the pandemic.

Local Deputy Paul Verostek interacts with community children while distributing juice boxes during the first phase of the Operation Juice Box being organized again by Jeannie Hoonirun. Jeannie is asking the community to donate juice boxes and bottled water for giving to the the local police to give out to kids in the community. Photo provided by Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

“I came across this Operation Juice Box project after participating in the Booze Fairies,” Jeannie said. “I thought if I could be handing out adult juice to my friends, I could do the same with kid juice for such a good cause.”

Jeannie began in September and collected many donated boxes of juice and water and gave them to local Canyon Lake police patrol officer, Deputy Paul Verostek, to distribute to the community’s children.

“Our police officers will patrol our community regardless,” Jeannie said. “These juice boxes act as a great tool for officers to connect with the children.”

Canyon Lakers who would like to donate to the cause are welcome to drop off juice boxes at the porch of at 29908 Smugglers Pt. Operation Juicebox is a nonprofit formed by Southern California 9/11 dispatcher Chelsea Parham in 2016.