Jennifer A. Kearns, partner at Duane Morris LLP, has been named board president for Mama’s Kitchen, a nonprofit meal delivery service for people affected by AIDS/HIV and other critical illnesses.

She succeeds John Pelkey, senior manager of learning and development at Amylin Pharmaceuticals, who completes a two-year consecutive term as board president in December. With Duane Morris LLP, Kearns practices in the area of employment law, advising employers and representing them in litigation, trial, arbitrations and administrative hearings.

Kearns, a Del Mar resident, will lead the organization’s 17-member board of directors. An executive committee shares in the leadership of the board. John Prosen, from Honeywell International, is president-elect for 2008. Cathy Nerenberg, a marketing consultant, is vice president; Don Caulfield, from Hyatt La Jolla, is secretary; Gary Holt, an attorney and certified public accountant, is treasurer.

Mama’s Kitchen was founded in 1990 when volunteers from the AIDS Assistance Fund, a food bank for people with AIDS, discovered that many of their clients were becoming too ill to take care of themselves. They realized that a reliable meal-delivery service was needed to ensure that these individuals would continue to receive nutritious food. Today, Mama’s Kitchen prepares and delivers three meals a day for every day of the week to about 300 men, women and children affected by AIDS or other critical illnesses in San Diego County. Mama’s Kitchen is located at 1875 Second Ave.

For more information, call (619) 233-6262 or log on to www.mamaskitchen.org.

Christie’s Place will hold a toy drive at Redwing Bar & Grill on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 3:00 p.m. Those who attend should bring an unwrapped toy. Food, entertainment, auctions and a 50/50 raffle will take place.

Toys will be collected until Dec. 16. Redwing Bar & Grill is located at 4012 30th St.

For more information, call (619) 702-4186.

San Diego District 3 City Councilmember Toni Atkins will serve as grand marshal for this year’s Toyland Parade, which will take place on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 11:00 a.m.

The parade, one of the oldest in the state, kicks off the winter holiday season each year in the North Park community of San Diego, where the parade winds through the business district.

“Councilmember Atkins is a strong supporter of the parade and a strong supporter of North Park,” parade chair Steve Haselhorst said. “Toni’s great efforts to find funding for this year’s parade made her the obvious choice to be grand marshal. We were delighted that she accepted our invitation.”

“Winter holidays in San Diego wouldn’t be the same without the Toyland Parade, and its 40-plus year history speaks to the strength of North Park’s community spirit,” Atkins said. “I always look forward to the parade every year, and serving as grand marshal this year will be a real honor and extra special.”

Councilmember Atkins was able to secure $8,300 in hotel tax funding for the parade this year. Other financial supporters thus far include San Diego National Bank, the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement District, Starbucks and Walgreens.

The Toyland Parade takes its name from its original floats, which depicted toys. Participants this year will include school bands, dance groups and drill teams, community youth groups, beauty queens and Santa Claus. The parade is sponsored by the North Park Lions, the North Park Community Association and North Park Main Street.

Parade organizers are looking for additional financial support, as well as volunteers for a wide range of tasks. Anyone interested in helping can call Monica Pelaez in the District 3 Council Office at (619) 236-6633.

Immigration Equality San Diego (IESD) will hold a wine and cheese social on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m. in Room 114A at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, located across from UCSD Hospital in Hillcrest.

The meeting will address gay immigration issues and the Unifying American Families Act, which seeks to provide immigration relief for same-sex binational couples.

All are welcome to attend. Bring food or drink to share. Parking validation will be available.

To RSVP or obtain further information and directions, e-mail immigrationequalitysandiego@yahoo.com.

An open discussion group for female and female-identified youth between 14 and 20 will take place on Friday, Dec. 1, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Hillcrest Youth Center.

The discussion will focus on all things related to women and female empowerment, with a strong emphasis on arts and crafts. The event is reoccurring until otherwise announced.

For the Hillcrest Youth Center location or to inquire about the event, call (619) 692-2077 or e-mail Naomi Wahler at nwahler@thecentersd.org.

The Greater San Diego Business Association will hold its annual Holiday Cruise aboard the California Spirit on Monday, Dec. 4, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The cruise, which features food, drinks, specialty desserts and a DJ, leaves from the south side of the Broadway Pier.

The event is sponsored by Scot Rockman of San Diego Harbor Excursion and Tom Welch of Security Business Bank. Participants are encouraged to bring unwrapped toys and blankets for the Imperial Court’s toy drive.

Tickets are $45 for members, $45 for first guests and $55 for each additional guest. Pre-registration is required.

For more information, call (619) 296-4543.

The Center’s 50 and Better Club will host a holiday mixer on Friday, Dec. 8, beginning at 12:00 noon at The Center, located at 3909 Centre St.

The event will feature live music by the North Park Winds, a lunch buffet and a white elephant gift exchange, as well as mixing and socializing.

RSVP by Dec. 1 to Claudia Lucero at (619) 692-2077 ext. 206 or via e-mail at clucero@thecentersd.org.

Holidays such as Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s may be special for many people, but they can also be difficult when someone who has been a part of those celebrations has died or is no longer in one’s life.

The Center and VITAS Innovative Hospice Care will offer a free program to help people cope with their grief and make the upcoming holidays less painful. The program will take place on Thursday, Dec. 7, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at The Center, located at 3909 Centre St.

To RSVP or for more information, contact LaVon Switzer at (858) 499-8901 or via e-mail at lavon.switzer@vitas.com.

The Greater San Diego Business Association’s 2006 John R. McCusker Golf Classic raised $5,000 for The Center’s Youth Housing Project, The Center announced.

The Youth Housing Project provides 23 units of affordable, supportive housing for youth between the ages of 18 and 24, with a special focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and HIV-positive youth. Housed in the Sunburst Apartments, the project targets high-risk youth who are transitioning out of foster care and/or group homes, or are living on the streets or in public places after having been ejected from their homes due to their sexual orientation. The program provides its residents with case management, employment services and mental health services.

For more information about the GSDBA, call (619) 296-4543 or visit www.gsdba.org. For more information about the Youth Housing Project, call (619) 692-2077 or log on to www.thecentersd.org.