OC RESCUE MISSION SEEKS COMMUNITY'S HELP TO PROVIDE BASIC SUPPLIES FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN & FAMILIES

Orange County, Calif. (March 28, 2016) – The Orange County Rescue Mission is seeking the community’s help to provide necessary supplies and materials for its record number of formerly homeless children and their families currently living at the Village of Hope, its Orange County transitional living facility.

“The homeless population throughout Orange County continues to grow at a rapid rate,” says Jim Palmer, President of the Orange County Rescue Mission. “In fact, in the last year, there was an average of 4,500 homeless men, women and children throughout the Orange County area, resulting in a significant increase in the number of children housed at the Rescue Mission.”

Palmer explains that the Rescue Mission currently houses more than 56 families and a total of 103 children, which places the mission at its highest capacity of children and families since its inception in 2008.

“The idea of not being able to afford basic shelter is often difficult to fathom, and many don’t realize that there is a tremendous amount of innocent young children affected by homelessness every year,” says Palmer. “These children face challenges that kids their age should never endure. It is our goal to ensure that we are providing them with the basic needs to fuel their futures in the right direction, and ultimately, reverse the impacts of homelessness.”

The Orange County Rescue Mission is asking the local community to donate items that can help provide these basic necessities for families and their children, including:

• Pack and Play crib sheets
• Two (2) high chairs
• Gentle Ease infant formula
• Eucerin lotion
• Humidifiers
• Reams of construction paper
• Coloring books
• Children’s books
• Oriental Trading art projects for various holidays (Memorial Day, 4th of July, etc.)
• Dreft laundry detergent for babies
• Stickers

“Most of the children living at the Rescue Mission are in the infant and toddler ages, making our outreach and the help of our fellow community members even more important,” says Palmer. “By providing the necessary support now, while these children are young, we can help to break the cycle and provide these children with the tools to avoid homelessness as adults.”

Those wishing to donate can drop off these donations at the Orange County Rescue Mission’s Village of Hope located at 1 Hope Drive in the city of Tustin, California. The donation warehouse is open between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

About the Orange County Rescue Mission

The Orange County and Inland Empire Rescue Missions are part of a non-profit organization that uses Biblical principles in its programs such as relationships, finance, and parenting. The Rescue Mission’s innovative facilities and programs provide food assistance and shelter in addition to counseling, education, job training, mental wellness, life skills training, and medical services to provide a solid foundation for the transition to a self-sufficient life. To make a donation or inquire about volunteer opportunities with the Rescue Mission, please contact (714) 247-4300 or log on to www.rescuemission.org.