The holiday spirit of giving is contagious as not only friends and families but business also give back to their community to help the less fortunate.

Lancaster Painting of Turlock is spearheading its 4th annual Paint it Forward event which provides a paint job free of charge to a family or organization in the community. Local individuals can nominate families and organizations in the area and there are no minimum criteria for nominations. Dec. 13 is the final day to submit suggestions, though they have been trickling in throughout the year. The nominations are read at Lancaster Painting’s annual Christmas party and the crew selects the complimentary project which can range from an interior or exterior paint job or both.

“The crew chooses a Saturday or weekend to donate their time and they really love it. It is a great event for all of us at the company, the staff and painters get really excited about it,” said Jennifer Beede, client advocate at Lancaster Painting.

Lancaster Painting is not limiting their spirit of giving to their own means but also hosting bins for Westside Ministries coat drive and Toys for Tots toy drive. Individuals can drop of new or lightly used coats and new toys at Lancaster Painting’s offices located at 228 Center St. Participants who drop of new coats will be entered in a drawing to win a free painter. Collections end Dec. 2.