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Community Corner

Adopt-A-Family Holiday Program

Enrich your own family’s holiday experience by giving back this seasonAdopt-a-Family Program supports families in need, just when they need it mostLake Forest, Calif. – Just as the weather starts to turn cooler and thoughts turn to upcoming family gatherings and holiday gift-giving, thousands of families right here in Orange County are struggling just to get by. A stocking full of presents for the children and a table full of holiday treats is out of the question for so many parents who continue to suffer the effects of the sour economy. South County Outreach, with the help of the community, is ready to make holiday wishes come true for the 15th year in a row with its Adopt-A-Family Holiday Program with registration opening October 1, 2012.“With the help of our community, we’ve been able to help more than 400 needy families each year," says South County Outreach Executive Director, Lara Fisher. “That help comes from individuals, businesses, churches and organizations who share the mission to help others,
especially during the holidays.”Families can enrich their own holiday experience by giving back this season by providing Thanksgiving meals and/or December holiday meals and toys. Adopting a family is a wonderful way to teach children how be charitable and to involve them in a community project. South County Outreach matches sponsors with families in need, while considering requests for specific family size, ages of children, city of residence, etc. Once matched, sponsors shop for groceries that can be a part of a holiday meal, as well as age-appropriate gifts for the children. Finally, the sponsors meet the families, delivering the food and toys.“The families that are sponsored are so thankful, as many struggle to celebrate the holidays with their children," says Special Events & Marketing Manager, Gabrielle Comfort, “Adopting a family is a wonderful way to come together as a family, business, church or organization.”For more information or to register, visit www.sco-oc.org, call (949) 380-8144 ext. 220 or email holidayhelpers@sco-oc.org.About South County OutreachSouth County Outreach, founded in 1989, is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing hunger and homeless prevention services to families in crisis in South Orange County. South County Outreach helps the underemployed and the unemployed reach self-sufficiency by providing the following services: food pantry, transitional housing, utility and rental assistance, homeless prevention counseling, computer training and clothing to support homeless families. For more information about South County Outreach, visit http://www.sco-oc.org.

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