From left to right…Tiny Singh, Scott Bluemel, Mike Means, Jeff Bergsgaard Tiny Singh, representing the Angels Baseball Organization is joined by Scott Bluemel of Bank of America, Mike Means, also with the Angels, and Jeff Bergsgaard with Bank of America, who teamed up to remove a tree stump as part of a major renovation project at the Bank of America/Angels Volunteer Day benefiting Casa Teresa, a homeless shelter serving homeless pregnant women.

ORANGE, CA (July 20, 2006) -- Just when you think no one cares - a small miracle comes along to change your mind. Such was the case with the recent Bank of America/Angels Baseball Volunteer Day at HomeAid Orange County-built Casa Teresa's shelter for homeless pregnant women. Men and women from Bank of America Communities, Inc. along with representatives from the Angeles Baseball Organization - some 200 strong - came ready to work, and work they did. These give-back Orange County based Bank of America employees organized by Shari Battle, and Angels' representatives organized by Tim Mead and Mark Merhab spent six hours at Casa Teresa painting, cleaning, landscaping, and upgrading the facilities so that the residents would have a more comfortable aesthetically pleasing place to call home. One resident mom seeing the Bank of America banner displayed across the largest of the three buildings that make up the Casa Teresa expressed the experience in this way. "Bank of America is my bank, and I'll never think of it the same way again," said Cynthia, who went on to say, "all of these people out here on a Saturday in over 100 degree heat doing work for us, I can't believe so many people care." Casa Teresa - where Cynthia lives - provides a caring living environment for residents that receive special counseling, support and educational programs including job training and career advice. Women are given financial and spiritual guidance that prepare them in making loving and informed decisions for themselves and their babies. Casa Teresa residents are required to work or go to school and may stay from two months to two years depending on their individual needs. The campus provides facilities for both moms that choose to keep their babies and for expectant mothers that choose adoption; education and support are provided for all that reside in this loving environment. Casa Teresa is one of three current projects being developed by HomeAid Orange County, the charitable arm of the Building Industry Association of Southern California. HomeAid, the largest provider of shelters in the county has completed to date 40 shelter developments, including three for Casa Teresa. Distinct elements are considered in the progression of each project developed by HomeAid. To begin the process, a care provider, comes to HomeAid Orange County with a request for remodeling, renovating or a new facility. Typically the care provider who is the operational arm of the project brings money, land and/or a building as part of the overall process. Each care provider's proposal is reviewed and presented to HomeAid Orange County's Board of Directors who assess the project relative to established criteria, and determined that there is a potential match within the building industry and its associates. If the project is a renovation, HomeAid may reach out to its sponsors and supporters to see if it is appropriate for a company volunteer day, as was the case with the Bank of America/Angels donation to Casa Teresa. The populations served by HomeAid Orange County include women in crisis pregnancy; abused children; victims of domestic violence; homeless adults living with HIV/AIDS; the mentally challenged; and those families and individuals who find themselves homeless as a result of job loss or catastrophic illness. In a typical year, over 6,000 homeless Orange County individuals and families find refuge at a HomeAid shelter development. For more information call (949) 553-9510 or click www.homeaidoc.org