In partnership with Orange County Community Foundation’s Workforce Development Initiative, First 5 Orange County helped launch a child care business program with the Small Business Development Center, CIELO (Community for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Leadership and...

Early in the pandemic, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley was the only Boys & Girls Club between Long Beach and the U.S.-Mexico border that was open, said CEO Tanya Hoxsie. They mostly were serving children of medical workers from nearby Hoag Hospital and Memorial Care. “It was tough, but we knew we needed to stay open,” Hoxsie said. The school age clubs and preschools both received CARES Act funding approved by the Orange County Board of Supervisors to help stay afloat during the pandemic. “Funding is always important for nonprofits but in 2020 it became critical for our survival,” Hoxsie said. “We were fighting to survive.”

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Tustin initially closed at the start of the pandemic, but since has safely opened at reduced capacity and increased hours to accommodate children who are enrolled in distance learning. “The impact to our revenue was huge,” CEO Jamie Serrano said. “The longer this goes on the further and further that deficit will stretch.” “Grants like this — it’s huge. Every single dollar of lifeline that comes through is huge for us and gives us the ability to stretch the pandemic a little further,” she said.

The Youth Center provides child care services for families who live and work in the Los Alamitos area. This year has been the hardest in the nonprofit’s 68-year history.
With assistance from a CARES Act grant, The Youth Center is able to continue to serve children and families during the pandemic. The Center currently serves (as of January 2021) 1,000 children at three locations in Los Alamitos. The kids come from 26 different cities, though their parents either work or live in Los Alamitos. The Youth Center re-opened shortly after the shutdown in March to serve the children of first responders, medical staff, and other essential workers. The center was struggling to stay open and make ends meet — and continue their streak of never having declined a scholarship for a single child.

First 5 Orange County sent diapers and supplies to Delhi Center in Santa Ana, which distributed to those in need.

The Delhi Center sent photos of some who were helped. Thank you to everyone involved!

Diaper distributions take place every Tuesday through Thursday at the Delhi Center, 505 E. Central Ave., in Santa Ana.

In Orange County, preventable tooth decay is the most common chronic illness among young children. Even more alarming, the most recent statistics reveal that approximately one out of every 10 children in OC – or nearly 70,000 kids – ages 3 to 11 have never visited a dentist. To combat this growing crisis, First 5 Orange County mobilized to tackle the barriers that prevent children from accessing dental care, bringing together and coordinating community providers, championing an innovative model for delivering services, and finding additional revenue. A local provider that stepped up to help give a new generation of Orange County children access to critically-needed oral health care was Serve the People.

When Phillip Ogedo went from a 2-year-old to an almost 3-year-old without speaking, his mother knew it was time to ask for help. A developmental screening from Family Support Network helped pave a path to get Phillip the support and speech therapy he needed to find his voice. Today, Phillip loves to talk. He loves to announce his full name to anyone who asks – there’s a joy in hearing him share those simple sentences.

Shortly after turning 1, Lexi Lee enrolled in Learning Link at Lincoln Elementary School in Santa Ana. Her mother, Venus, intuitively understood the important benefits of helping her little girl acquire solid early-learning skills and habits. Now 2, Lexi has benefited tremendously from Learning Link’s creative and holistic curriculum — and so has her mother.