$200,000 anonymous gift given to OCC

COSTA MESA -- The OCC Foundation received a $200,000 cash gift this

week from a local donor who wishes to remain anonymous, school officials

said Friday.

“This is a very generous donation and the college and the foundation

are extremely grateful,” said Rush Hill, chair of OCC’s Foundation Board.

“OCC is this community’s college, and the community has responded by

being extremely generous in its support.” The funds will be divided

equally between OCC’s Fund for Families Program, which provides

subsidized child care services to OCC student-parents, and the Marine

Science Program.

The Fund for Families Program allows OCC’s Children’s Center to assist

working low-income families headed by single parents and homemakers

recently thrust into the workplace. The new 13,000-square-foot,

$2.86-million facility helps students without affordable child-care

services to attend school.

Money for the marine program will be used to construct a shade

structure for the school’s public saltwater aquarium. OCC’s on-the-water

marine science labs also will receive funds.

OCC’s aquariums are popular county attractions for schoolchildren. As

many as 10,000 elementary and high school students visit the tanks each

year.

--- Amy R. Spurgeon