An award for her children

Veronica Duran

COSTA MESA -- Debbe Magnusen, founder and director of Project Cuddle, a

program to help children taken into custody during domestic disturbances,

has been selected as this month’s Mayor’s Award winner.

Magnusen will be honored at tonight’s city council meeting.

Mayor Gary Monahan initiated the monthly award to recognize an individual

in the community who has performed an outstanding act, service or deed.

For nearly 20 years, Magnusen, a Costa Mesa resident, has been helping

children in the community and across the country. She is a nationally

known author and advocate for children and has been profiled on CNN, 48

Hours and other news programs. She won the Points of Light Award in 1998.

Magnusen has been able to help numerous at-risk babies, children and

mothers, Monahan said.

Project Cuddle was established in 1990 when Magnusen began equipping

police vehicles with soft toys to help with the emotional trauma of

children taken into custody by law enforcement. The organization has

expanded and includes four additional areas.

In addition to Project Cuddle, Magnusen also holds a holiday party each

year for 400 abused children. She established an education program for

teenagers to teach them about how drugs and alcohol abuse can affect

their unborn children.

Magnusen also has formed an education program for recovering mothers with

newborns and for adoptive families caring for drug-exposed babies.

The City Council meeting will be at 6:30 tonight in the council chambers

at Costa Mesa City Hall, 77 Fair Drive.