Orange : Orangewood Home Expansion Planned

The Orangewood Children’s Home broke ground Thursday for a $3.7-million project that will allow the facility to serve an additional 1,000 abused and neglected children each year.

The expansion will include three additional residential cottages, four classrooms and an infant care center for addicted babies. Medical facilities, visiting areas and the kitchen and laundry will also be remodeled.

Construction should be completed this fall, said William G. Steiner, executive director of the Orangewood Children’s Foundation.

The fund-raising campaign for the project, “Vision 2000,” began last April. Though Orangewood is still $1.5 million short of its $3.7-million goal, construction will begin “due to the urgent need for additional bed capacity,” Steiner said.

Steiner said Orangewood will continue fund raising through its annual 5K and 10K run in April.