What gift is better than the gift of giving back? This Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, consider doing good with the ones you love.
HomeAid Orange County, in partnership with First 5 Orange County, recently announced the 12th Annual HomeAid Essentials Diaper Drive will take place between Mother’s Day, May 12, and Father’s Day, June 16, directly benefitting local families facing homelessness.
The countywide campaign, led by Essentials Steering Committee Chairman Oliver Jones of United Parcel Service (UPS), will officially launch at the Community Partner Luncheon on May 8 at Precious Life Shelter in Los Alamitos (3622 Florista St, Los Alamitos, CA 90720). The luncheon will feature beneficiaries of HomeAid’s support as well as Henry DiCarlo of KTLA 5 as the Master of Ceremonies.
“On average, a family needs 4,320 diapers a year just for one infant, and there are 120,188 children living in poverty in Orange County,” said Gina Scott, Interim Executive Director of HomeAid Orange County. “We are honored to have the support of the business community, public agencies, and our nonprofit partners who understand how important this donation drive is for mothers and fathers and their infants experiencing homelessness in our community.”
Essentials donations enable 23 recipient agencies, such as Precious Life and Pathways of Hope in Fullerton, to save the funds normally spent on diapers and other baby supplies for use on programs that help their clients achieve self-sufficiency and lead productive, independent lives.
Since the start of the campaign 12 years ago, items collected have grown from 30,000 to over 1.2 million items annually in 2018. To date, more than 8.5 million diapers, wipes and food have been distributed to families in need over the life of the campaign. More than 65,000 people experiencing homelessness in Orange County have been served through HomeAid programs since they began in 1989.
The Essentials campaign culminates with the “Builders for Babies” event on Friday, June 21, under the ‘Big A’ at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. All community partners and the public are encouraged to drop off donations between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. as homebuilding companies compete to create structures made of diaper boxes that will be judged by local celebrities and community leaders.
“This is all about our community coming together to help families, especially those with young children, who are faced with the unthinkable decision of having to choose between food and diapers,” Jones said. “Everyone can do their part so that no family has to make that choice by volunteering to host a drive or by simply making a donation.”
Items collected will be distributed to 23 nonprofit providers who operate housing and shelters built in partnership with HomeAid Orange County to serve families experiencing homelessness and pregnant mothers. Public donation drop-off locations will be located throughout Orange County. A complete list of drop off locations, how to host a drive, and how to become a sponsor or donate is available at http://www.homeaidoc.org/essentials.
