Live Peace with Local Food Banks

No matter where you live, there is likely a local food bank nearby that helps those in need. If you are able, giving food is an amazing, tangible way to make good happen in another person’s life.

In the Orange County area, check out local organizations like the OC Food Bank, the Second Harvest Food Bank of OC, and Families Forward. You can make a donation, volunteer, or learn how to make good happen in your community!

Not in the Orange County area? Find a local food bank through a quick online search, or through national organizations like Feeding America.

Food donations collected through our 2012 Summer Service Days!

Thanksgiving is often the season of giving, but need is high year-round. Make good happen for those in need all year by donating when you can!

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Erwin Wang Makes Good Happen

As part of the Living Peace Series with Sir Richard Branson, we hosted our Living Peace Projects (formerly known as “Working Groups”) on January 22, 2011. With each Living Peace Series speaking event, we host a day of service for youth encouraging participants to not only get involved, but continue to do good in the world.

Now, over a year after the Living Peace Projects with Virgin Unite, we are so happy to highlight the work of Erwin Wang. As a local high school student, Erwin joined us back in January 2011 and began a project to raise funds for charity. As part of the project Erwin began at the Living Peace Projects, he raised $2,000! The funds supported the Human Options scholarship program here at the Center as well as the food pantry at Families Forward.

Erwin and CLP Founder Kelly

When asked about the impact the event had on him, Erwin said:

“Since I could remember, both my mother and father spoke of the importance of generosity, and the far-reaching happiness it brings to all people. It is an aspect that has influenced me throughout my childhood and teenage years. I’ve been privileged to have been raised in such a nurturing environment – it only seems fitting to give back to the community that has given me so much. What started out as a simple idea developed into a full-fledged fundraising event. It was a wild and exciting ride from start to finish, and ultimately saw it appropriate to provide the funds to Families Forward and the Human Options program. Many are unaware of the financial and domestic issues families in Irvine must tackle daily – which is precisely why these organizations are deserving of these funds. I’d like to acknowledge my team for pulling off such a feat, along with Kelly Smith and Rebecca Hendrickson of CLP for allocating the funds.”

-Erwin Wang

Erwin is certainly an amazing example of making good happen and how a project that may seem small can make a huge impact. We wish him all the best in his college career and endeavors!

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Families Forward & OCMA Making Good Happen!

For the past few months, we have been having mindful knitting classes with the Orange County Museum of Art.

In our knitting classes, we made this beautiful blanket:

And these beautiful bath kits:

which were knitted with love by class participants.

CLP and OCMA really wanted to donate these beautiful items to a good, local cause. We decided to donate to Families Forward! Families Forward is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping low-income and homeless families in Orange County. They were founded in 1984 and provide transitional housing, food, career coaching and counseling. If there is anything else that a family needs, they will refer them to the proper resource so that they get what they need! When they first opened they only had five apartment units and one part-time counselor, but because of the need of the community they grew quickly. Now Families Forward has twenty-eight transitional housing units and a comprehensive array of services to prevent homelessness. Last year, Families Forward helped over 7,000 people in need. According to their website they helped:

- 172 families avoided homelessness through the homeless prevention program

- 33,834 bags of food were distributed through the food pantry

- 250 parents received career assistance

-1,032 children received school supplies

It is so great to see a local organization doing so much to make good happen in our community! Thank you to OCMA and all of our participants from our knitting class for making such beautiful items! And thank you to Families Forward for your commitment to people in need!

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out.