3rd Annual Essentials for Young Lives Drive Unites Community to Help Homeless Mothers and Their Children
Kick-Off Saturday, April 24, 2010 at Irvine Spectrum Center®
IRVINE, CA (April 14, 2010) —The 3rd annual Essentials for Young Lives drive kicks off Saturday, April
24 in honor of Mother’s Day, at the Irvine Spectrum Center®.
Essentials for Young Lives is a community-wide effort to collect “essential” baby items for
homeless mothers and their infants, sponsored by HomeAid Orange County in partnership with the
Children and Families Commission of Orange County and the YMCA of Orange County. The public is
invited to bring donations of diapers, baby wipes, baby food and baby hygiene products to the Giant
Wheel Court from 1pm to 4pm. Donations will be delivered to 16 of HomeAid’s service provider partners
that give aid and shelter to homeless families.
To make the afternoon a fun event for the family, the YMCA of Orange County will host an arts
and crafts table for children, and everyone who donates an “essential” baby item is entered into an
opportunity drawing to win one annual YMCA membership.
Since diapers are the most needed items, Wahoo’s Fish Taco will give a free taco coupon to each
of the first 200 people to donate a box of diapers.
More than 40 companies, community organizations and churches throughout Orange County
have volunteered to serve as donations sites for the 2010 Essentials for Young Lives drive through
Thursday, April 27. The list of public donation drop-off sites is available online at essentialsforyounglives.blogspot.com.
"Homeless mothers and their young children are among Orange County’s most vulnerable
residents, and the state’s worsened economic condition has stretched the safety net," said Michael
Ruane, the Executive Director of the Children and Families Commission of Orange County. "Ensuring
babies and toddlers have the proper nutrition and basic necessities goes to the Commission’s core
purposes. Essentials for Young Lives brings out the best in our community for the sake of the most
vulnerable."
Essentials for Young Lives was first launched in Orange County in 2008 and since then more
than 250,000 essential baby items have been distributed to homeless mothers and their infants. As the
growth in homeless families increases the demand for homeless services, the need for essential baby
items continues to grow.
"Babies needs can’t wait. Hunger? Diaper needs? They need to be addressed immediately.
Essentials for Young Lives provides donations that can ease parents’ anxiety as they work to get their
lives together. Participating in Essentials for Young Lives is so important to help bridge a mom and her
baby to self-sufficiency," said Margie Wakeham, Families Forward Executive Director.
About HomeAid Orange County
HomeAid Orange County is the founding chapter of a national non-profit organization with the
mission to build and maintain 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. To date the
organization has completed 46 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.
About Children and Families Commission of Orange County
The Children and Families Commission of Orange County oversees the allocation of funds from
Proposition 10, which added a 50-cent tax on tobacco products sold in California. Funds help pay for
education, health care and child development programs for children from the prenatal stage to age five
and their families. The Commission’s goal is to ensure all children are healthy and ready to learn when
they enter school. Programs supported by the Commission include shelter projects and services for
children and families because children learn better when they have stable housing. For additional
information visit: www.occhildrenandfamilies.com.
  
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