IRVINE, CA (January 24, 2003)

Scott Larson, HomeAid Orange County executive director (left), Les Thomas, president of Shea Homes and HomeAid Orange County board president and Greg Currens, HomeAid board member were presented with a check for $49,090 from Valley Building Materials' architectural representative, Chris Crowley. Proceeds were garnered from a recent golf tournament benefiting HomeAid Orange County.

Valley Building Materials (VBM), celebrating 25 years of service to architects, designers, contractors and homeowners, presented HomeAid Orange County with a check in the amount of $49,090 – proceeds earned from a recent golf tournament held at Aliso Viejo Golf Club. The tournament was held for the third consecutive year to benefit HomeAid, Orange County's Building Industry Association nonprofit charged with the mission of building and renovating shelters for the temporarily homeless. With two Southern California stores – Lake Forest and Yucaipa – Valley Building Materials provides hardscape materials for outdoor landscaping and facades for both commercial and residential clients.

This donation was made possible through the generous support of Valley Building Materials owners, John and Matt Kolendich and through the efforts of golf tournament organizer, Chris Crowley, architectural representative at VBM. The tournament proceeds represents the largest single HomeAid Orange County contribution ever raised by one company, a designation Valley Building Materials has held for the second successive year. HomeAid Orange County board member, Greg Currens vice president of Irvine-based, Style Interior Design, Inc. was instrumental in forming this partnership between VBM and HomeAid Orange County.

At the core of these partnerships are over 1,500 sponsor companies including industry businesses like Valley Building Materials. Additional corporate sponsors include Builder & Developer Magazine; City National Bank, First American Title Company, The Irvine Company, Morrison & Foerster, LLP; Orange County Association of Realtors; Ernst & Young; the Los Angeles Times; and William Lyon Homes.

The latest statistics reflect 23,000 homeless living in Orange County with only 1,358 transitional house beds to serve them. HomeAid Orange County has provided over 50% of that number, offering shelter for domestic violence victims, abandoned or neglected youths, homeless pregnant women, adults living with HIV/AIDS, the mentally disabled and those made homeless by job loss or catastrophic illness. Though there is much left to be done, HomeAid Orange County is pleased to report that in 2002 nearly six thousand temporarily homeless men, women and children were given the chance to turn their lives around as a result of the continuing support of its partnerships in action. To date, HomeAid Orange County has completed 34 shelter developments with six currently in various stages of development and construction.

For information, call (949) 553-9510 or visit the website at www.homeaidoc.org.