Countywide : Group Calls for More Assistance for Homeless

With nearly 15,000 homeless people--half of whom are children--and only 1,200 temporary shelter beds available, Orange County needs more facilities where people can sleep and programs where they can get job training, officials of HomeAid Orange County say.

To help focus public attention on the plight of the homeless, HomeAid is organizing its seventh annual Homeless Awareness Week, which will begin Sunday.

“Many of the people of this community are people that have fallen off the socioeconomic ladder because of divorce, desertion or job loss,” said Michael Lennon, executive director of the nonprofit organization. “They’ve just fallen off. But with some help they can get back on their feet.”

As part of Homeless Awareness Week, the Hard Rock Cafe of Newport Beach will have a 10K run Sunday and sponsor an auction of handcrafted children’s playhouses on Nov. 11 at the restaurant to raise money for HomeAid projects.

And the Orange County Homeless Issues Task Force on Monday will unveil results of a new study on the effect of domestic violence on homelessness.

Lennon said that HomeAid, founded in 1989, is made up of home builders who donate their work and materials to construct homeless shelters, is completing a safe house in Irvine for battered women and their children.

In Orange, he said, HomeAid will break ground Monday for its 24th project: Casa Teresa, a shelter for homeless pregnant women and their children.

Both will be run by nonprofit organizations that will offer job training and counseling services, Lennon said.

“The whole purpose is so that people can find new hope for self-sufficient, dignified living,” Lennon said.

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Homeless Awareness

National Homeless Awareness Week, established seven years ago to increase public awareness of the plight of the homeless, begins Monday. Here are some events planned in Orange County:

* Today, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Food collection and preregistration party for third annual Run for Cover 10K race; Hard Rock Cafe, Fashion Island, Newport Beach

* Sunday, 7:30 a.m.: Run for Cover 10K race; Hard Rock Cafe, Fashion Island, Newport Beach

* Monday, 11 a.m.: Groundbreaking for Casa Teresa, a homeless shelter for pregnant women and their children; Noon: Round-table discussion on homelessness, 123 W. Maple Ave., Orange

* Nov. 11, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Volunteers assemble medical and hygiene kits for the homeless; Target store, 3750 Barranca Parkway, Irvine

* Nov. 11, 5 p.m.: Auction of children’s playhouses built by real estate developers with proceeds going to the homeless; Hard Rock Cafe, Fashion Island, Newport Beach

Information for all events: (714) 553-9510.

Source: HomeAid Orange County; Researched by MIMI KO CRUZ / For The Times