IRVINE : Family-Help Plan Going Full Steam

A spokesman for Southern California Edison was on one line, a needy family on the other.

“Both seemed hesitant to talk, but they got over it after talking for about two minutes,” Irvine Temporary Housing’s Louise Wagner said. “Now, it turns out, the children in the family are all excited. They get to go for a ride in one of Edison’s big trucks.”

This week, Wagner is once again playing matchmaker, just as she does each year during the holidays. She is in charge of Adopt A Family for Christmas 1989, her third year coordinating the program.

“Businesses, families and individuals all play a part. The Soroptomists have called and are taking three families, Alderwood Basics Plus (an Irvine elementary school) is taking seven families, the Chamber of Commerce is involved, our high schools, the Irvine Medical Center. There are about 45 families we are placing this year,” Wagner said.

Irvine Temporary Housing rents 10 apartments and two houses in the city to needy families, based on their ability to pay. Each of these families will also be adopted in the Christmas program. Their identities remain secret to save them from embarrassment, Wagner said.

“Our 12 families always remain anonymous, as do many of the people involved in the Adopt a Family program,” Wagner said. “Many people, on both sides of this program, simply prefer it that way. They bring food, gifts and sometimes clothing here and families come to pick it up.”

Others find out specific sizes for children and custom fit their donations.

“It just depends on how each individual wants to handle it,” Wagner said. “Sometimes we just give out phone numbers and they work it out outside the program.”