Charities Stepping Up Their Efforts to Provide Thanksgiving Dinners : Activities: Most organizations are expecting longer lines this year because of the economic downturn.

With the slump in the economy, Orange County charities are stepping up their efforts to roast turkeys, deliver food baskets and hand out canned fruits and vegetables, all to make sure that everyone is fed on Thanksgiving.

Charity organizers say they expect longer lines this year because the economic downturn has put more people on the streets or has made them unable to afford a Thanksgiving feast.

“Everybody’s business is going down the drain but my business is coming up,” said Merle Hatleberg, who is organizing a special Thanksgiving meal at the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen in Costa Mesa. Someone Cares volunteers will be feverishly at work Wednesday night cooking dozens of turkeys.

Frank Garcia, owner of La Casa Garcia restaurant in Anaheim, will again offer a Thanksgiving meal. Last year, about 4,000 people were fed. He expects as many as 2,000 more this time around.

“Everybody’s welcome,” he said. “We want anybody that doesn’t have a plate in front of them.”

Among the other activities planned are a meal for the needy at the Westminster Mall food court and the launching of a food drive in which a Christmas tree made of canned food will be constructed at Huntington Center Mall.

The following is a list of these organizations and the types of donations they are seeking.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES--CATHOLIC COMMUNITY AGENCIES 2829 W. 1st St. Santa Ana, Calif. 92703 Sponsoring: They will supplement their regular food program with donations made for Thanksgiving. Food will be distributed Tuesday and Wednesday. Monetary donations: Checks should be sent to 1506 Brookhollow Drive, Suite 112, Santa Ana, Calif., 92705, payable to Catholic Charities. Food donations: Turkeys and non-perishables can be taken to 2829 W. 1st St. Refrigeration space is available. Deadline for Thanksgiving items is Wednesday. Volunteers: Not needed. COSTA MESA CHURCH OF CHRIST 287 W. Wilson St. Costa Mesa, Calif. 92627 (714) 645-3191 Sponsoring: Thanksgiving dinner at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Monetary donations: Send to address above in care of the Costa Mesa Church of Christ. Specify that money is for the Tuesday dinner. Food donations: Need turkeys, dressing, other traditional fare. Deliver to the address above. Refrigeration space available. Deadline for Thanksgiving items is Tuesday. DELHI COMMUNITY CENTER 542 E. Central Ave. Santa Ana, Calif. 92707 (714) 549-1317 Sponsoring: Food basket distribution. Monetary donations: Checks should be sent to the address above and be made payable to the Delhi Community Center. Food donations: Turkeys and non-perishables to be taken to the address above. Refrigeration space is available. Deadline for Thanksgiving items is noon Wednesday. Volunteers: Not needed. EPISCOPAL SERVICE ALLIANCE 28892 Marguerite Parkway, Suite 260. Mission Viejo, Calif. 92692 (714) 588-7422 Sponsoring: Distribution of about 1,000 food baskets. Some distribution centers will have Thanksgiving dinners in addition to regular services. Monetary donations: Send checks to the address above, payable to the Episcopal Service Alliance. Food donations: Non-perishables, bread and turkeys can be taken to any of the centers listed below. Refrigeration space available. Volunteers: Needed in all centers: Centers: St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 311 W. South St., Anaheim, (714) 776-7510; Episcopal Service Alliance in Huntington Beach, 525 N. Main St., Huntington Beach, (714) 960-2254; Episcopal Church of the Messiah, 614 N. Bush St., Santa Ana, (714) 953-9170; Episcopal Service Alliance of South County, 150 Avenida Pico, San Clemente, (714) 492-8211, and the Community Service Center, 31676 S. Coast Highway, (714) 499-4244. Donations can be earmarked for the Martha House for Women in Orange and the Anchor House for Families in San Clemente. FRIENDS IN SERVICE TO HUMANITY (Only phone calls accepted). (714) 642-6060 Sponsoring: The volunteer Christian Organization provides service to the needy in Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Irvine. It is delivering about 150 Thanksgiving baskets Tuesday. Monetary donations: Send to 177F, 133 Riverside Ave., Newport Beach, Calif. 92663, with checks made out to FISH. Food donations: Call the number above to donate non-perishables. Limited refrigeration space available. HOLIDAY HOPE--COUNTY HEALTH CARE AGENCY, VOLUNTEER SERVICES 1440 E. 1st St., Suite 305. Santa Ana, Calif. 92701 (714) 568-4422 or (714) 568-4427 or (714) 568-4421 Sponsoring: Food drive; People also can adopt a needy family either personally or anonymously and provide them with a complete Thanksgiving dinner. Monetary donations: Checks should be made out to Holiday Hope and sent to the address above. Food donations: Non-perishables and gift certificates accepted at the address above. Deadline for Thanksgiving items is Wednesday morning. HUNTINGTON BEACH/FOUNTAIN VALLEY BOARD OF REALTORS 8101 Slater Ave. Huntington Beach, Calif. 92647 (714) 847-6093 Sponsoring: CanTree food drive for food pantries and community dinners for low-income seniors, the handicapped and the homeless. Monetary donations: Send checks to address above, in care of Board of Realtors. Specify that money is for the CanTree food drive. Food donations: Deliver canned food to nearest Realtor office. LA CASA GARCIA 531 W. Chapman Ave. Anaheim, Calif. 92802 (714) 740-1108 Sponsoring: Thanksgiving dinner for about 5,000 people from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Monetary donations: Send to address above, make checks payable to La Casa Garcia. Food donations: Turkeys. Deliver to the address above starting Monday. LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES 12432 9th St. Garden Grove, Calif. 92640 (714) 534-6450 Sponsoring: Orange County families will get holiday food baskets throughout the week. Donations can be taken to the address above or to the Lutheran Social Services office in Fullerton at 215 N. Lemon St. Monetary donations: Send checks to the address above, payable to Lutheran Social Services. Food donations: Non-perishables, limited refrigeration space for meat and vegetables, baby formula and diapers. Deadline is Wednesday. Volunteers: Those wishing to help in the distribution of baskets should call the number above. MARY McANENA 391 S. Grand St. Orange, Calif. 92666 (714) 538-0513 Sponsoring: Thanksgiving dinner for about 200 people at 2 p.m. Thursday in Hart Park. Monetary donations: Make checks out to Mary McAnena and send to the address above. Food donations: Local restaurant has donated the Thanksgiving food. McAnena said that she needs toothbrushes, small towels, bars of soap, socks and razors for special Thanksgiving care packages. ORANGE COUNTY RESCUE MISSION 1901 W. Walnut St. Santa Ana, Calif. 92703 (714) 835-0499 Sponsoring: The mission will distribute about 500 food boxes, including turkeys, to families. Monetary donations: Checks can be sent to the address above, payable to the Orange County Rescue Mission. Food donations: Non-perishables, turkeys and other traditional fare. Refrigeration space available. SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS (Address not available; only phone calls accepted.) (714) 897-3221 Sponsoring: Free Thanksgiving meal for about 500 people starting at noon Thursday in the food court at Westminster Mall. Monetary donations: Send to 8291 Westminster Blvd., Suite 215, Westminster, Calif. 92683, in care of the Shelter for the Homeless. Food donations: Cooked turkeys and hams, stuffing, punch and soda. Deliver on Thursday starting at 10 a.m. to the Westminster Mall. Volunteers: May be needed for cleanup. SHORECLIFFS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 240 Via Socorro. San Clemente, Calif. 92672 (714) 498-1660 Sponsoring: Canned food drive. Food donations: Deliver canned food to school by Wednesday. SOMEONE CARES SOUP KITCHEN 661 Hamilton St. Costa Mesa, Calif. 92627 (714) 631-8170 Sponsoring: About 500 people are expected at a Thanksgiving Day dinner at South Coast Christian Church, 792 Victoria St., Costa Mesa. Monetary Donations: Make payable to Someone Cares and send to 661 Hamilton St. Food donations: All items, especially pumpkin pies, fruits and vegetables. Deliver to 661 Hamilton St. Monday and Tuesday. Refrigeration space is available. Volunteers: A few are needed. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INDIAN CENTER 12755 Brookhurst St. Garden Grove, Calif. 92640 (714) 530-0221 Sponsoring: Food drive. Monetary donations: Send to the address above, checks made payable to Southern California Indian Center. Food donations: Canned foods. Refrigeration space available. Deliver to the address above. SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY CENTER 1601 W. 2nd St. Santa Ana, Calif. 92703 (714) 547-4073 Sponsoring: Meal for about 400 to 500 families at noon Thanksgiving Day at the address above. Monetary donations: Send to address above, payable to the Southwest Community Center. Food donations: Turkeys, vegetables, non-perishables. Deliver to the address above. Deadline is Wednesday. Volunteers: Needed to help serve the meal. ST. ANNE’S CATHOLIC CHURCH 109 W. Borchard Ave. Santa Ana, Calif. 92707 (714) 542-8200 Sponsoring: Holiday food baskets will be delivered Thanksgiving week to families within parish boundaries. Monetary donations: Send checks to the address above, payable to St. Vincent de Paul. Food donations: Non-perishables. Refrigeration space available. Deliver to the above address. Deadline is Monday.