THANK YOU for joining our Holiday Drive!

This December, we had our first Human Options Holiday Drive.  All items supported the work of Human Options, a shelter helping to break the cycle of domestic violence. Plus, by donating an item, donors received free admission to attend a selected class!

We are thrilled with the results! We received so many generous donations of items like:

• Movie tickets
• Canned foods & soups
• Jewelry
• Blankets, knitted items & sheets
• Lotions
• Baby & female hygiene products
• Nail polish
• Make-up bags
• Candles
• Soap
• Games & Toys

If you have items like these, find a shelter near you to donate! A quick online search will likely yield some great results.

We send a great big thank you to all who joined us in making good happen for the residents of Human Options.

Good Happens.

Pay it Forward!

Live Peace with Smiling Monkey Yoga

Here at the Center, we are so thankful for our longtime partner Smiling Monkey Yoga! Their wonderful yoga instructors offer 9 classes each week, ranging in ages from babies to teens. The instructors make the class fun and accessible to kids! Check out the class offerings here.

As an added bonus, taking Smiling Monkey Yoga classes here at the Center supports weekly classes held at Human Options. We love seeing kids helping kids have the chance to enjoy yoga!

Wondering about the benefits of yoga? Watch the video below!

It’s not always easy to find yoga classes geared towards kids, but we are so happy to offer it here through Smiling Monkey Yoga!

Good Happens.

Pay it Forward!

Live Peace with Human Options Holiday Drive

#GivingTuesday may have passed, We excited to be offering a holiday drive for Human Options! Human Options’ provides programs to help rebuild the lives of abused women and their families in attempt to end the cycle of domestic violence.

Since the holidays are near approaching, we have a list of gift suggestions that would be much appreciated! By donating at least one item from the list of gift suggestions, we will waive the admisison fee for selected classes. Please check our event calendar for details about which classes are offering this promotion. The Holiday Drive will run from December 1st through the 14th.

Thank you for joining us in making good happen!

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!

Live Peace with Human Options

Each week we highlight great organizations making good happen! They truly demonstrate how much each of us can do to help our communities and those in need. Live Peace by finding and supporting a cause that you believe in through the work of organizations like Human Options.

Human Options is a women’s shelter  in Irvine, CA with a mission to help battered women, their families, and their communities end the cycle of domestic violence. It offers a variety of resources such as an emergency shelter and transitional living programs with included counseling, legal advocacy, case management, and job readiness training. They also run a 24 hour emergency, bilingual hotline. Women and their children have access to a Children and Families Counseling Center, K-12 community education, and violence prevention training programs. It also runs a community education program in which their educators present to various schools, organizations, and agencies about issues surrounding domestic violence.

Human Option’s long term assistance and prevention approach has helped thousands of women and children to lead more healthy and violence free lives since they started their work in 1981. Support Human Options by donating fresh produce and spices every Saturday of July, during the Irvine Farmer’s Market, at the Center. Also refer to Human Option’s wish list for donated items or volunteer to help out. Volunteers must be 18  or 16 to work with children’s programs and go through a training workshop.

For more details on the organization’s work, visit their website!

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!