Newport Beach : Group Asks Help for 500 Needy Families

There are about 500 families in Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Irvine who are not on Santa’s list this year.

So the Fish Harbor Area organization, a Newport Beach-based assistance group, is trying to pick up the slack. They are desperately seeking people, businesses and civic organizations who can make a $25 donation to provide Christmas dinner and toys to needy families.

Each family on the FISH (Friends in Service to Humanity) list has a difficult time paying monthly rent and buying food, much less shopping for Christmas gifts, said Debby O’Connor, director of FISH. Assistance requests have jumped a dramatic 25% since last Christmas, O’Connor said.

For example, there is a single mother from Irvine who works as a receptionist and, with her three boys, ages 13, 10 and 6, lives hand to mouth, barely making rent payments. Her home has no furniture or dishes, O’Connor said.

“She is a super gal,” said O’Connor. “She makes sure her kids go to school, but it is just that she has a hard time” financially.

Others on the list include a Costa Mesa family of six who live off one minimum-wage paycheck. While the mother takes care of the kids, the father works at a restaurant cleaning tables.

FISH, which recently celebrated its 25th year, provides groceries, rent checks and sometimes gas money to families hit hard economically.

Throughout the year, FISH and its local volunteers deliver the assistance on a weekly basis. Last month, the organization served Thanksgiving dinner to 200 families.

For more information, call (714) 642-6060.