White House Recognizes Commitment of HomeAid Orange County Volunteers
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Scott Larson, HomeAid Orange County Executive
Director and Alison T. Young, Special Assistant to the President and Acting Director of USA Freedom Corps
Photo credit: Doug Gifford Photography |
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Special Assistant to President Bush Delivers Congratulations to Volunteers at Special Ceremony
IRVINE, Calif. (Oct. 30, 2008) - Alison T. Young, Special Assistant to the President and Acting Director of The White House Office of USA Freedom Corps traveled to Orange County to deliver a congratulatory message from President Bush to more than 100 HomeAid Orange County volunteers at a special ceremony at the Orange County Rescue Mission's Village of Hope in Tustin.
"It is an honor to be at the Village of Hope to honor those who have answered the President's Call to Service and in doing so, have made such a lasting impact for this community. I congratulate all of you for earning the President's Volunteer Service Award and encourage you to continue serving your neighbors in need," said Young.
Reading from a letter presented to each award recipient from President Bush, Young shared with the audience the President's congratulations and gratitude, "Through service to others, you demonstrate the outstanding character of America and help strengthen our country."
The Orange County Rescue Mission nominated HomeAid Orange County for the organization's volunteer work not only on all of the Mission's facilities; House of Hope, Hope Family Housing (El Modena and Buena Park), and the recently completed Village of Hope but for all their work throughout the county.
Speaking on behalf of the HomeAid volunteers Scott Larson, Executive Director HomeAid Orange County shared, "I stand here as an individual representing builders, landscapers, engineers, specialty contractors, architects, consultants and countless individuals who gave thousands of volunteer hours to build dignified housing where homeless families and individuals can rebuild their lives. Our work is not done. There are so many more men, women and children that are still homeless. We look forward and will continue our service to build safe and secure housing that will provide shelter for those in need."
The President's Volunteer Service Award was the result of President Bush's 2002 State of the Union address. In this historic speech, he issued a challenge to all Americans to make time to help their neighbors, communities, and the Nation through service. He created the USA Freedom Corps to assist Americans in answering his call to service and to foster a culture of service, citizenship and responsibility. The following year the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation was formed to establish ways to recognize the valuable contributions of volunteers across the country. The Council then created the President's Volunteer Service Award.
The Village of Hope, HomeAid Orange County's 43rd housing development for homeless individuals and families in Orange County was completed in September 2008. The five acre campus developed for the Orange County Rescue Mission, has the capacity to provide shelter for 192 homeless men, women and children. Built on the former Tustin Marine Corps Air Station, it serves as a national model for demonstrating successful reuse of a U.S. base closure.
HomeAid's role, as it is in all the organization's projects is to recruit and work with builders, architects and specialty contractors to build facilities for service providers like the Orange County Rescue Mission. Over the past 20 years, HomeAid volunteers have contributed thousands of volunteer hours to build 43 housing developments which in turn were gifted to 25 service providers benefiting homeless families and individuals in Orange County.
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. To date the organization has completed 43 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
  
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