2009 Essentials for Young Lives was a Great Success!

More than 70 companies, community organizations, individuals and nearly 3,000 YMCA of Orange County children participated in the Essentials for Young Lives program in partnership with the Children and Families Commission of Orange County. They conducted drives throughout the county and collected:

Diapers - 32,897

Baby Wipes - 86,048

Food Items - 4,247

Misc. Items (baby products, wash, lotion, etc.) 13,126

TOTAL: 136,318 Essential Baby Items

Click here see pictures.

Thank you to the following companies and organizations for their generous support:

1900 Ocean Apartments
Anaheim Family Justice Center
Anonymous (Private Party)
Assemblyman Chuck DeVore
Assemblyman Mike Duvall
Assemblywoman Diane Harkey
Assemblyman Jeff Miller
Assemblyman Jim Silva
Balboa Insurance Group
Bank of America
Before The Stork 4D
Bellini Baby to Teen
Building Industry Association of Orange County
Cal Pac Sheet Metal, Inc.
CARE Club/Orange Coast College
CareMeridan
CB Richard Ellis, Inc.
Change a Life Foundation
Children and Families Commission of Orange County
CHOC Children’s (5th Floor)
Comerica Bank
DaVita
DK Chappell, Inc.
Empire Homes
Experian
First American Title Company
Hampton Products International Corp
Hardwood Creations
Hayes Martin Associates, Inc.
Hunsaker & Associates
Interiors by Valerie
Irvine Spectrum Center®
Jackson, DeMarco, Tidus & Peckenpaugh
Jamba Juice
Kingsfield Church
Las Palmas Apartments
Lennar
Lucas & Mercier Construction
Lyon Apartment Companies
Materials Matter
Michael Brandman Associates
Michael Stricklen
Momentum Textiles
Newmeyer & Dillion, LLP
Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company
O.C. Ravens Football
O.C. Metals
One Step Ministries
Pacific Terra Holdings, LLC
Porter Novelli
PPC Enterprises, Inc.
RE/MAX Real Estate Specialists
School Readiness Nurses
Signature Party Rentals
Snyder Langston
St. John’s Middle School
State Senator Lou Correa
State Senator Tom Harman
State Street
Stroller Strides, Newport Beach
TD Service Company
TDAC Development
The Coca-Cola Company
The Travelers of Gulliver’s Restaurant
Transpacific Management Service, Inc.
Tustin Police Department
United States Postal Service (Grand Ave., Santa Ana)
Wahoo’s Fish Taco
Warmington Group
William Lyon Homes
Women of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Women of ELCA, Pacifica Synod-Rejoice, Son & Surf and Saddleback Clusters
YMCA of Orange County

Let the drive begin!!!

The Essentials for Young Lives drive has been "kicked off" and today marks the official start, so let the donations roll in. On Saturday, April 25, at the Irvine Spectrum Center, hundreds of shoppers and families became aware of this cause, with balloons handed out to children and Jamba Juice coupons given to their parents as well as a list of drop-off locations so they could visit a site sometime this week. Without the companies and organizations that supported the kick-off, it would not have held the success as it was able to. Irvine Spectrum Center, YMCA, Wahoo's, Jamba Juice, Bellini Baby to Teen, and the Vanguard University PR Team, thank you for all of your hard work on Saturday. In case you missed out on Saturday and are not aware of where you can take your donations, listed below are the drop-off locations by city:

Anaheim
Anaheim Family Justice Center
Contact: Lieutenant Julian Harvey
(714)765-1622
150 W. Vermont Avenue

Brea
Hardwood Creations
Contact: Thomas Steele
(714)674-0527 x20
800-B Columbia Street

Office of California State Assembly
Member Mike Duvall
Contact: Kelly Jimenez
(714)672-4734
210 W. Birch St. #202

Costa Mesa
Office of California State
Senator Tom Harman
Contact: Emanuel Patrascu
(714)957-4555
950 South Coast Dr. Suite 240

Huntington Beach
Office of California State Assembly
Member Jim Silva
Contact: Erik Weigand
(714)843-4966
17011 Beach Boulevard, Suite 570

Irvine
Bellini Baby to Teen
Contact: Becky Sherbanenko
(949)753-0588
95 Fortune Dr. #613

Change a Life Foundation
Contact: Brenda Walters
(949)788-9999
5 Corporate Park, Suite 210

HomeAid Orange County
Contact: Carolyn Baker
(949)553-9510 x224
17744 Sky Park Circle, Suite 170

Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company
Contact: Robert A. Grimm
(949)622-7210 x09
18191 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 100

Office of California State Assembly
Member Chuck DeVore
Contact: Scott Carpenter
(949)863-7070
3 Park Plaza, Suite 275

Snyder Langston
Contact: Kelly Wilken
(949)225-3134
17962 Cowan

Laguna Hills
Materials Matter
Contact: Allison McKinstry
(949)336-1767 x110
23351 Avenida de al Carlota

Mission Viejo
Office of California State Assembly
Member Jeff Miller
Contact: Cheyenne Steel
(951)737-1671
20532 El Toro Rd., Suite 203

Norco
PPC Enterprises, Inc.
Contact Dawn McGeiger/Judy Bamber
(951)371-4800
2259 Hammer Avenue

San Clemente
Transpacific Management Service, Inc.
Contact: Michelle Pate
(949)248-2822 x403
209 Avenida Fabricante, Suite 175

San Juan Capistrano
Office of California State Assembly
Member Diane Harkey
Contact: Lauryn Picciano
(949)347-7301
29122 Rancho Viejo Road, Suite 111

Santa Ana
Cal Pac Sheet Metal, Inc.
Contact: Carolyn Miller
(714)979-2733
2720 S. Main Street, Unit B

Office of California State
Senator Lou Correa
Contact: Martha Lopez
(714)553-4400
2323 N. Broadway, Suite 245

YMCA
All afterschool child care centers and local YMCA facility branches
For a complete list visit:
http://www.ymcaoc.org/pdf/child_care/dropoff-loc-apr09.pdf

If you have questions about the drop-off hours, please contact the individual sites. Please do not hesitate to donate to this cause. Help these homeless mothers provide for their young children. Bless them this Mother's day.

Essentials for Young Lives Kick-Off at Irvine Spectrum Center®

Saturday, April 25
1pm - 4pm


Join HomeAid Orange County, the Children and Families Commission of Orange County and the YMCA of Orange County in celebrating the kick-off of the 2009 Essentials for Young Lives Drive. Bring your donations of: diapers (newborn to toddler), baby wipes, baby food, formula and baby products (wash, lotion, etc.) to drop off sites at Irvine Spectrum Center® Giant Wheel Court, Bellini® and curbside at Wahoo's Fish Taco.

Become involved with Essentials!

Calling all companies and organizations! If you are interested in being a part of the 2009 Essentials for Young Lives Drive we would love to have your help. Consider conducting a drive in your office, school or organization or become a drop-off location. Its as easy as 1, 2, 3!

• Start by designating a collection site in your office, club or classroom that can be easily accessible
• Ask friends and colleagues to donate "essential" baby items

OR

• Allow us to publicize your company as an "Essentials" drop location that will allow members of the community to donate items to your site.
• Once the drive as ended, HomeAid Orange County will come collect the items

This drive is benefitting shelters such as the Anaheim Faith Shelter, Casa Teresa, Mercy House, Interval house,Precious Life Shelter, Orange County Rescue Mission, and more!

If you think this is something your company would be interested in, or something you want to take on email Carolyn Baker at carolyn@homeaidoc.org and she will be able to give you more information as requested! The dates that the drive is taking place on is April 27 - 30th and the pick up day is May 1, 2009.

To learn more about Essentials for Young Lives you can also check out the website, http://www.homeaidoc.org/calendar_essentials.php.

Help a mother in need and support the Essentials for Young Lives Drive!

Essentials for Young Lives Drive - April 27 thru 30

Mothers and children are the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population. With just a moment of your time, you can help us provide essentials for those who need assistantance most.

Hold an Essentials for Young Lives Drive in your company/organization OR Be a community "Essentials" drop location.

It's easy.

1. -Designate a collection site in your office.

-Ask colleagues to donate "essential" baby items

OR

-Allow HomeAid Orange County to publicize your company as an "Essentials" drop location.

-HomeAid Orange County will pick-up the items and deliver them to HomeAid Service Provider Partners providing aid for homeless families and children.

ESSENTIALS NEEDED:

-Diapers, baby wipes, baby food, baby products (wash, lotion, etc.) and baby bottles.