South Bay Family Redefines Valentine’s Day with Acts of Kindness

Spreading Love and Laughter: Analeigh, 8, Celebrates Valentine's Day with a Big Heart and a Playful Pup

For most people, Valentine’s Day is about flowers, chocolates, and romantic gestures. But for Melissa Jasin, a mother of two from Redondo Beach, it has always been about something more—spreading love to those who need it most.

“When I was younger, every year my dad would take us skiing over Presidents Day weekend, which usually fell around Valentine’s Day. So, I rarely celebrated this holiday with cards or flowers,” Jasin said.

As she grew older, she saw the holiday differently—not as a day for overpriced gifts, but as an opportunity to uplift others.

“I decided that I would instead show love to someone who rarely gets shown love rather than doting on a boyfriend or romantic valentine,” she said. “Let’s be honest, it’s really just overpriced, over-marketed consumer crap, and the true meaning behind Valentine’s Day—love—has been lost.”

That realization sparked a tradition—one that Jasin has carried on for years and now shares with her husband and children.

Sweet Treats for a Cause: The Jasin family hosted a Valentine’s Bake Sale to support the homeless.

Jasin’s alternative approach to Valentine’s Day began with small acts of kindness. One year, she covered a coworker’s shift so they could spend the evening with their partner. Another time, she handed out cookies to strangers or delivered a pizza to a group of homeless individuals.

When she met her now-husband, she made sure he understood that this was how she celebrated the holiday.

“As my husband and I were dating, I let him know about this tradition, and we began to do it together,” she said.

Together, they expanded their efforts.

Delivering Kindness: The Jasin family hands out care packages to those in need.

“One year, we took out his coworker’s kids as she was struggling through a divorce. Another year, we brought a group of friends to go read and volunteer for the afternoon at a pet rescue,” she said.

As they started a family, they instilled the tradition in their children.

“Now my eight-year-old is an avid ‘love spreader’ on Valentine’s Day and has countless ideas on how to help,” she said.

Her daughter, 8-year-old Analeigh, takes pride in these acts of kindness.

“It makes me feel really good to help people that need help and not just give things to people who are already getting a lot of things,” Analeigh said.

One of her favorite memories was passing out blankets and money to the homeless.

“Last year, we raised money and bought blankets. Since it was cold, we found homeless people and gave them each a blanket and five dollars,” she said.

Warming Hearts: The Jasin family picks out blankets to donate to the people experiencing homelessness on Valentine’s Day.

Another time, she and her mom collected boxes, filled them with essentials, and handed them out near Valentine’s Day.

“I think my favorite was passing out the blankets,” Analeigh said.

Over the years, the Jasin family has turned Valentine’s Day into a day of action, focusing on helping those in need.

“One year, we passed out chocolate hearts in Venice,” Jasin said.

Another time, they turned their efforts toward a domestic abuse halfway house, collecting donations to provide essential support for women in crisis.

Their community outreach has ranged from feeding the homeless to supporting local families.

“We had a bake sale to raise money and then used that money to buy peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,” Jasin said. “We bagged them up with apples, candy, and a little bit of cash and passed them out to the homeless.”

They’ve also worked to assist struggling individuals in their area.

“Another year, we collected money and helped some local ladies in need,” she said. “We brought them bags of groceries, massages, movie tickets, and baby care essentials.”

Animal welfare has also been a focus of their mission. One Valentine’s Day, they raised nearly $400 in cash and supplies for a local animal rescue.

Even as an eight-year-old, Analeigh recognizes the value of these acts of kindness.

Beyond her own efforts, Jasin hopes to encourage others to rethink how they celebrate the holiday. She’s witnessed firsthand how the commercialism of Valentine’s Day can create pressure, especially for those who are single or alone.

“Having children has truly inspired me to want to do more and honestly just have more people participate in the ‘spreading love’ tradition instead of buying romantic gestures,” she said.

Her hope is that more people will consider alternatives.

“What if instead of buying things, you got a box of donuts and handed them out to hungry people? Or picked up trash to show love to the planet?” she said.

She acknowledges that Valentine’s Day traditions won’t change overnight, but she remains optimistic.

“Who knows, in a decade or two, maybe Valentine’s Day isn’t what it is today,” she said.

For now, she and her family continue leading by example—one act of kindness at a time.

Instead of focusing on store-bought gifts, Jasin encourages people to find a way to spread love to someone who truly needs it.

“Because, after all, isn’t that what Valentine’s Day is supposed to be about?”