Essentials for Young Lives Drive Collects More Than 117,000 Baby Items

HomeAid Orange County in partnership with the Children and Families Commission of Orange County successfully launched the first Essentials for Young Lives Drive in Orange County. The community-wide effort collected 117,956 essential baby items for 15 nonprofit organizations that serve homeless mothers and their children.

The Children and Families Commission of Orange County, Building Industry Association of Orange County, Churm Media and Hayes Martin Associates donated their resources and talents to support HomeAid’s efforts to help inform the community of the great need to aid the fastest growing segment of the homeless population – mothers and their children. The result was more than 60 companies and organizations along with caring individuals throughout the county donated 32,088 diapers, 81,822 baby wipes and 4,046 miscellaneous baby items such as baby food, bottles and baby hygiene products.

Businesses ranging from John Laing Homes to Bank of America to the Village Inn Restaurant on Balboa Island along with Girl Scout Troop 556 and the Northwood High School football team championed the cause to bring aid to the homeless in the community.

“It was wonderful to see and experience the many diverse groups of people generously collaborating to help provide essential items for homeless infants. Essentials for Young Lives was a great success because of the united efforts of so many caring people,” said Essentials for Young Lives Committee Chair, Sonia Lister of Jackson, DeMarco, Tidus and Peckenpaugh.

An estimated 35,000 people annually experience homeless in Orange County. With the needs increasing, recipient organizations deeply appreciated the timely donations.

“We were overwhelmed and overjoyed by the generosity of all who participated in this wonderful program! In 2007 at just one of our locations, we housed 51 families comprised of 60 adults and 103 children. Can you imagine the number of little ones that included? Essentials for Young Lives is truly a blessing to our agency and those we serve,” said Judi Bambas, executive director of the Fullerton Interfaith Emergency Service.

“The contributions have made a big impact on our families’ budgets, especially with the gas prices. It has really hit them hard so this is such a crucial gift to us,” said Carrie DeLaurie, program manager of Regina House, one of Mercy House’s transitional housing programs.

DeLaurie went on to share comments from one of the mothers in the program, “Wow, I can’t believe people did this for us. This is so great, now that they gave me some diapers I can buy the shoes I needed for work.”

Donated items for the Essentials for Young Lives Drive were distributed to the following HomeAid service provider partners that assist families and children: Anaheim Interfaith Shelter; Casa Teresa; Families Forward; Fullerton Interfaith Emergency Service; H.I.S. House; Human Options; Interval House; Isaiah House – Catholic Worker; Laura’s House; Mary’s Shelter; Mercy House; Orange County Rescue Mission; Precious Life Shelter; Shelter for the Homeless; and Women’s Transitional Living Center.

Essentials for Young Lives will be an annual event. For more information or to get involved in the 2009 program e-mail info@homeaidoc.org or call (949) 553-9510.

About HomeAid Orange County

HomeAid Orange County is the founding chapter of a national non-profit organization with the mission to build dignified housing where homeless families and individuals can rebuild their lives. Founded in 1989 by the Orange County Chapter of the Building Industry Association of Southern California, HomeAid acts as the housing developer and liaison between service providers, community volunteers, builders and specialty contractors. With four projects currently in development, to date the organization has completed

Forty-one housing developments that serve victims of domestic violence, pregnant homeless women, abused and abandoned children, homeless adults living with HIV/AIDS and homeless families. www.homeaidoc.org