More Ways to Help
Affordable Housing Access Since 1999 , Affordable Housing Access has been creating and preserving quality affordable housing while also providing social services and resources to empower low-income individuals . The nonprofit and its developer partners have built or acquired and rehabilitated more than 20,000 affordable homes and apartments throughout the West . ( ahaccess . org )
Balboa Bay Club Scholarship Fund Over the last 20 years , the Balboa Bay Club has provided grants to graduating seniors from local high schools like Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor . The awards are presented to those who are examples of hard work and dedication , and donations help fund these scholarships to make an impact on the students ’ future . ( balboabayclub . com )
Decorative Arts Society The Decorative Arts Society hosts an annual speaker series with experts in fields like architecture , interior design , landscape design and more , with five different speakers giving lectures each year . The group started not only as a way to celebrate the decorative arts , but also as a way of supporting local nonprofits dedicated to women and families . ( decorativeartssociety . net )
Friendship Circle Children and young adults with special needs are treated to a variety of exciting recreational and educational programs with the goal of promoting friendship and kindness through fun social settings . Programs include Sunday Circle , Soccer Stars , Friends at Home , Young Adult Circle , Basketball Buddies and more , and donations can be tailored to some of these programs when made online . ( friendshipoc . org )
John Wayne Cancer Foundation Actor John Wayne , who lived in Newport Beach , was a lung cancer survivor but died after a struggle with stomach cancer . His family established the John Wayne Cancer Foundation in his memory , funding novel and innovative programs related to cancer research and education efforts like Block the Blaze , which has educated more than 500,000 kids nationwide about the importance of skin cancer prevention and early detection . ( johnwayne . org )
Junior League of Orange County Female volunteers come together under this nonprofit to improve the lives of the underserved . With more than 450 members , the organization leaves a lasting impact on the community through initiatives such as Kids in the Kitchen and Impact OC as well as with scholarships , public affairs work and partnerships with organizations like Orangewood . Donations to JLOCC ’ s Annual Fund go toward training future volunteers as well as providing resources to those in foster care and victims of human trafficking . ( jlocc . org )
Magical Builders Over the past 17 years , this nonprofit has managed the construction and renovation of dozens of charitable facilities in OC , from youth and teen centers to shelters for victims of domestic abuse , homeless centers , athletic fields , often working with Major League Baseball , athletes , celebrities , generous companies and individuals to make an impact . Every holiday season , Magical Builders organizes a pajama drive to provide warm , new PJs to underprivileged kids in Orange County and Phoenix . ( magicalbuildersgiving . org )
Newport Beach Foundation Young professionals hoping to make a difference need look no further than the Newport Beach Foundation , a philanthropic nonprofit that aims to strengthen leadership in the community through education , research and advocacy . The group hosts a Distinguished Citizen program and also offers scholarships to local high school students . ( nb-foundation . org )
Paw Prints in the Sand For animals in need , a loving home is the only thing that matters , and Paw Prints in the Sand works to make those dreams a reality , seeking to rescue and find homes for 1,000 pets by 2025 . All donations go toward helping these animals with things such as training , medical care and the search for a forever home . ( pawprintsinthesand . org )
Project Giving Light Happiness is the ultimate goal at Project Giving Light , a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of at-risk children living in foster care of homeless shelters . The organization hosts birthday parties for children each month with the help of their Birthday Boxes , which are filled with everything from toys and art supplies to clothing and hygiene products . ( projectgivinglight . com )
Project Self-Sufficiency More than one in five college students are parents and 43 % of student parents are single mothers . Project Self-Sufficiency assists low-income single parents in OC to graduate from college or vocational training equipped with the skills needed to become economically independent . The nonprofit provides financial assistance , counseling , childcare help , a supply pantry and long-term case management during the students ’ educational journey and as they transition into a career . ( pssoc . org )
SageView Foundation Both by partnering with other organizations and through its own programs in Rwanda , SageView Foundation seeks to provide health care and education for women and children in crisis and also promotes micro-financing initiatives that allow for sustainable change both here and abroad . Locally , the foundation works with Orange County Rescue Mission to provide funds for programming and paid time away from work for volunteers as well as to replenish the food pantry stock . ( sageviewfoundation . org )
Tias Arms Joanne Baker , who was born in South Africa and relocated to the U . S . as a young woman , was moved to action after returning to her hometown in 2001 only to find that it was ground zero for the AIDS epidemic , leaving thousands of children orphaned . In response , she launched Tias Arms , which has raised more than $ 1 million to support grassroots groups that provide food , shelter , health care and education for children in impoverished areas of South Africa . ( tiasarms . org )
Veterans Relief Foundation This foundation offers alternative therapeutic programs such as adapted water sports for veterans , active-duty military members — including those who have been wounded — and their families . The organization ’ s team has designed special watercraft equipment that allows those in wheelchairs to paddleboard , for example , creating an empowering and encouraging experience for servicemen and women . ( veteransrelieffoundation . org ) NBM
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