Over 17,000 Diapers Collected the Honda Center
February 25, 2011 (Anaheim, CA) – To kickoff HomeAid Orange County’s Essentials for Young Lives donation drive, in partnership with the Children and Families Commission of Orange County, Anaheim Ducks fans brought diapers to the Honda Center on Wednesday evening. Through the National Hockey League’s Hockey for Huggies initiative, a total of 17,106 diapers were collected and will be donated directly to HomeAid’s 2011 Essentials for Young Lives.
“The Hockey for Huggies program and our partnership with the Anaheim Ducks gave us great momentum for the 2011 Essentials for Young Lives campaign,” said Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, Honorary Chair, 2011 Essentials for Young Lives. “Working together I am confident we can meet and exceed our goal of collecting one-half million items this year.”
In addition to the diapers collected on Wednesday, the 2011 Essentials for Young Lives campaign will receive money toward the purchase of diapers through the Hockey for Huggies text-to-donate program. Through March 28th, Ducks fans can text “DUCKS” to 501501 to make a five dollar donation.
HomeAid’s 2011 Essentials for Young Lives donation drive will take place the week before Mother’s Day, May 2-6, and will collect essential items such as diapers and other baby supplies for homeless families across the county. Items collected will be distributed among the sixteen service providers who operate facilities built in partnership with HomeAid Orange County.
“Families who are in crisis rely on transitional housing opportunities in order to provide a safe environment for their children. This drive ensures these children have ‘essential’ items during a challenging time,” said Sheriff Hutchens. “I want to encourage businesses, community organizations and individuals to join this county-wide effort and collect essential items for homeless infants and toddlers.”
Donation drop off locations will be located throughout Orange County including many VONS grocery stores and YMCA facilities. For a complete list of donation locations visit www.essentialsforyounglives.org. Online contributions can be made through registries at www.BabiesRUs.com and www.walmart.com.
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HomeAid Orange County
HomeAid Orange County is the founding chapter of a national non-profit organization with the mission to build dignified housing where homeless families and individuals can rebuild their lives. Founded in 1989 by the Orange County Chapter of the Building Industry Association of Southern California, HomeAid acts as the housing developer and liaison between services providers, community volunteers, builders and specialty contractors. To date the organization has completed 47 developments that serve victims of domestic violence, pregnant homeless women, abused and abandoned children, homeless adults living with HIV/AIDS and homeless families. For more information, please visit www.homeaidoc.org.
Children and Families Commission of Orange County
The Children and Families Commission of Orange County oversees the allocation of funds from Proposition 10, which added a 50-cent tax on tobacco products sold in California. Funds help pay for education, health care and child development programs for children from the prenatal stage to age five and their families. The Commission’s goal is to ensure all children are healthy and ready to learn when they enter school. For more information, please visit www.first5oc.org.