Adopt A Family 2021
From the beginning , SOS has been distributing donations of food and clothing to families in need . It ’ s a necessity with seemingly no end in sight . According to Christy Ward , CEO of SOS since 2019 , the food pantry was distributing approximately 200 bags of groceries per day when she arrived . At the height of the pandemic , she says , that number went up to 300 bags a day .
“ Today , we ’ re distributing 400-plus bags of groceries a day ,” Ms . Ward says , noting the rise in inflation as a probable cause . “ So what we have seen , from pre-pandemic to today , is
this continued demand that has just gone up , and up , and up .”
She says the total impact of the organization on the community is hard to quantify , but it ’ s all positive . In addition to clothing distribution and providing hundreds of families with groceries each week in partnership with operations such as the Second Harvest Food Bank , SOS includes services to feed the homeless with surpluses from local restaurants , grocery stores and the Newport Mesa Unified School District . There are programs to assist those struggling to pay rent and utilities . The health programs serve about 15,000 patients annually .
Now a federally qualified community health center , SOS receives about ten percent of its operational funding from government grants with approximately sixty percent of costs covered by programs facilitated through MediCal and Medicaid . The rest is dependent on donations from community organizations and private donors , which can be abundant in a land of plenty .
“ What we have seen is a lot of generous support in the community ,” Ward says . “ What we want to try to do is lift people up .”
Last month , SOS provided turkeys with all the fixings for 500 families to have a homecooked holiday feast . This month , their 53rd annual Adopt-A-Family program will kick in , pairing generous donors with individual families to help provide gifts for children that might otherwise go without .
The residual beyond providing people in need with basic essentials and a bit of good cheer , is satisfying the altruistic instincts of neighbors more than willing to share their time , talent and treasure . It ’ s a gift in itself to allow people to help . That ’ s true for many of the 165 SOS employees and scores of volunteers making their contributions to the cause . Ward notes the many medical professionals and community members who pitched in when the COVID crisis set in just a few months after she accepted her position as CEO .
“ We had a robust group of volunteers that helped with testing and vaccinations ,” she explains . “ We had a really amazing group of physicians and nurses . This community is really wonderful . People are so generous with their time .”
People helping people . And doing it for a living is its own reward .
“ It ’ s a passion ,” says Ward , who began her career as a licensed vocational nurse . “ It just feels great to do community service as part of my daily work . I don ’ t know who has a better job , honestly .”
Here ’ s to health and happiness throughout the holidays . And all year long .
BAY WINDOW 79