Tis the season of giving. There are multiple ways that families can give back in Orange County this holiday season no matter what the ages of your children. Whether making a donation or volunteering your time, there is no better time to introduce your kids to community service than now. Find time during your busy holiday season to volunteer with your kids during the holidays.
Share Our Selves 45th Adopt A Family Program
Share Our Selves’ annual holiday donation program, Adopt A Family, pairs generous donors with struggling families with children in the Costa Mesa & Santa Ana public school districts to provide them a holiday dinner plus new gifts for the children. Pre-registered donations are collected Dec. 18 at the OC Fair & Event Center and information on contributing is available online at ShareOurSelves.org.
Hours: Thursday 6 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission & Parking: Free
Information: ShareOurSelves.org, (949) 270-2150, aaf [at] shareourselves [dot] org
Fairmont Newport Beach
The Fairmont Newport Beach, a proud presenting sponsor, will host a Tree of Hope holiday toy drive to support the South County Outreach Adopt-A-Family program. The public is invited to bring toy donations to the hotel throughout the holiday season. Donated toys will be distributed to local families.
Toys for Tots
Fashion Island, Irvine Spectrum Center and The Market Place have partnered with KTLA 5 for their Season of Sharing with Toys for Tots. Individuals are invited to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the toy drop locations between November 14 and December 20. With every toy donation, individuals will receive a Holiday Savings Passport filled with exclusive shopping offers for the participating centers.
Toy Drop Locations:
• Fashion Island Concierge – located inside Atrium Court
• Irvine Spectrum Center Guest Services – located near both the Carousel and
Giant Wheel
• The Market Place Management Office – located upstairs near California Pizza
Kitchen on the Tustin side of the center
• Onsite at The Market Place DUCK the Halls events – visit HolidayStyleOC.com
for an event schedule
MOMS Orange County Diaper Drive
Are you hosting a holiday party? As part of its Diapers in December drive, nonprofit MOMS Orange County encourages you to consider hosting a diaper drive to help families in need! Disposable diaper donations can be dropped off to MOMS Orange County offices from Dec. 8-12! For more information, visit www.momsorangecounty.org. #MOMSOC
Holiday Book Donation Drive
In honor of the season of giving, families are encouraged to bring new or gently used books for children of all ages – early readers through high school – to the Splendid® store at Fashion Island to donate to these schools who are in desperate need of reading material. To add to the giving-back experience, donators are invited to inscribe their donated books with a description about what they love about reading. Plus each participant will receive an I DONATED sticker, to reinforce the amazing feeling that comes with giving to someone else. To sweeten the deal, those that donate 5 or more books will receive 50% off one item from Splendid.
Milk + BookiesTM is a nationwide charitable organization that inspires children to give back, using books as its currency. The organization facilitates opportunities for children to raise book donations and give back to their peers who do not have access to books of their own. Splendid has long been a supporter of Milk + Bookies and is thrilled to help further their message.
WHO: Splendid and Milk + Bookies
WHAT: Nationwide Book Drive to Support the National Relief Charities
WHEN: December 4, 2014 – January 4, 2015
WHERE: Splendid, Fashion Island, 225 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA, 92660
Help the Homeless with the Orange County Rescue Mission Donation Drive
The Orange County Rescue Mission is seeking the support of Orange County residents and businesses to donate the toys and gifts needed to make this year’s Magic at the Mission event a success.
Those wishing to donate can drop off new, unwrapped toys for children of all ages, as well as small gifts for parents, at the Orange County Rescue Mission’s Village of Hope located at 1 Hope Drive in the city of Tustin, California. The donation warehouse is open between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
Suggested small gift donations for parents include (under $25):
· Gift cards
· Scarves, hats, gloves, beanies, socks, slippers
· Jewelry items, specialty soaps or perfumes
· Men’s shaving items
· Belts and ties
· Sweaters, sweatshirts and jackets
Boys & Girls Club Gift Donations Needed
Donations are sought for the Aliso Viejo Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley’s annual Operation Holiday Homework program.
The program is designed to promote education among club members and treat the youngsters – many whose families suffer from financial hardships – to toys and gifts during the holidays.
The kids are earning points for completing their homework assignments and will redeem them for new donated holiday gifts for themselves and their families at the club’s Operation Holiday Homework “Store.” Donations of new, unwrapped toys and gifts can be dropped off from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays at the Aliso Viejo Family Resource Center, 24671 Via Iglesia, before December 13. They can also be dropped off at City Hall, 12 Journey, during business hours.
Help the Homeless with Project Hope Alliance
Project Hope Alliance (www.projecthopealliance.org), Orange County-based non-profit organization ending the cycle of homelessness one child at a time, announced today that it will partner with Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee, Costa Mesa’s premier specialty doughnut shop during December through their monthly SideCares program with various initiatives.
The December SideCares initiatives include:
· Doughnuts for Santa – Wednesday, December 17th from 4-6pm – Project Hope Alliance will host a group of their children at the Costa Mesa offices for a very special “Doughnuts for Santa” party. Children will have the opportunity to decorate their very own Sidecar doughnuts and wrap them as gifts for their families, teachers, and loved ones.
· Angel Tree – All Month Long – Sidecar will have a Christmas tree in the shop that will be decorated with paper ornaments in the shapes of jackets, sweaters, shoes, and pajamas. Customers will have the opportunity to take one of the ornaments off the tree, thereby committing to purchasing one of these items for a Project Hope child in need.
· Doughnut “Dough-nation” – All month long – 10% of the proceeds from Sidecar’s Gingerbread Doughnut during the month of December will go directly to Project Hope Alliance. Starting December 12th, Sidecar will also offer a free “Gingerbread Doughnut House How-To” handbook with the purchase of 1 dozen Gingerbread doughnuts as a fun and creative way to promote the Project Hope flavor.
· Free Doughnut with Honor Cards – All month long – Sidecar is inviting customers to “Give the Gift of Hope” this season, by donating to Project Hope Alliance in honor of their loved ones. Customers will be able to make a donation to Project Hope Alliance at the shop, and will receive an “Honor Card” to provide to their gift recipient. For donations of $20 or more, customers will receive a free doughnut.
Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee is located at 270 E. 17th Street, #18 in Costa Mesa. They are open daily from 6:30am to 4pm, and until 9pm on Friday and Saturday. To learn more, please visit www.sidecardoughnuts.com. To learn more about Costa Mesa- based Project Hope Alliance, please visit www.projecthopealliance.org.
WHO: Illumination Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to ending the cycle of homelessness in Orange County, is hosting an event to benefit at-risk youth and homeless families.
WHAT: Illumination Foundation, a local 501 c(3) nonprofit, is opening a Homeless Multi-Service Center in Santa Ana and is inviting all community members to attend the Holiday Carnival Open House. Located on Ross Street, the Center will provide families in need with critical services, which will guide families towards self-sufficiency and long-term stability in permanent housing.
Illumination Foundation’s Santa Ana Multi-Service Center will provide hundreds of children in Orange County’s most densely populated city with year-round mental health services, tutoring, daily nutritious meals, and a safe environment.
The Holiday Carnival Open House is free for all Santa Ana residents and county families struggling with homelessness. The free day will include: children’s arts and crafts, pictures with Santa, a Toy Room for parents to “shop” for their children, and a hot meal hosted by Nick’s Restaurant.
WHEN: Saturday, December 13, 2014
11 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: 1215 N. Ross Street
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Fundraiser for CHOC and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Tis the Season to be a gift to others…Donate to this amazing group of veterans whose goal is to bless the lives of much deserved children. These children are battling the war of their lives as they are living with life-threatening illnesses and cancer.
Please join us for our fundraising event at Vanguard University. Thursday, December 11th from 12-2:30pm in the Price Room located behind the Cafeteria.
If you cannot make it to the fundraising event please consider donating $5 to the cause. The money will go to purchasing gift cards and Legos that will be delivered to these children at CHOC hospital and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
You could send a check to:
Newport Mesa Church
Attn: MOPS (for Little Warriors)
2599 Newport Blvd.
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Boys & Girls Club Fundraiser
Known for its aromatic Indian cuisine and dedication to giving back to the community, Tamarind of London has pledged to donate 10 percent of net sales from Sunday, Dec. 7 through Thursday, Dec. 11 to the Boys & Girls Club of the Harbor Area. Local residents are encouraged to show their support for this inspiring organization by coming in to dine at the restaurant located in Crystal Cove. Additionally, in support of the Boys and Girls Club of the Harbor Area’s annual holiday gift giving initiatives, Tamarind of London will also be providing 20 percent off any guest’s meal who brings in an unwrapped toy. Tamarind of London is located at 7862 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Newport Beach, CA 92657.
Do you know of a family-friendly event or charity that we missed? Please email us at orangecountymomblog@gmail.com and we will add it to the list.
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