SANTA ANA : Help Sought to Feed Homeless on Holiday

Santa Ana Unified School District employees are seeking both volunteers and donations for a free meal being planned for as many as 2,000 homeless people on Christmas Day.

The dinner, which will include turkey and all the trimmings, will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Festival Hall, 220 E. 3rd St.

“The whole idea of this event is to bring people together for a sit-down dinner and fill them up,” said Howard Haas, principal of Willard Intermediate School in Santa Ana.

Haas and McFadden Intermediate School Principal Al Aitcheson decided to organize the dinner because they felt there wasn’t enough being done for the homeless on Christmas Day.

“I think it’s time for all of us to take on responsibility for people on the street because there are too many people who are hungry out there,” Haas said.

Haas said “people have been coming out of the woodwork” to help with the event, but more volunteers are needed to help with setting up, serving food and cleaning up.

Students at several schools in the district will help publicize the event by making signs and posting them throughout the city.

“We need to get the word out to the homeless so they will know what’s happening,” Haas said.

The use of Festival Hall in downtown Santa Ana has been donated for the event by owner Vincente Sarmiento, who also has enlisted the services of his staff to help prepare the meal.

The meal also is being sponsored by a number of Santa Ana-based groups including the Pena Center and the Bright Light Center.

Organizers said at least $20,000 is needed to pay for the dinner. Any money collected that exceeds the amount needed for dinner will be used to buy blankets and toiletries for those attending the dinner, Haas said.