Helping Hands

Where to go if you need help, want to volunteer or can offer donations:

GENERAL SOURCES

* Info Link Orange County: Free, confidential clearinghouse of information about health and human services available throughout the county; database of 4,000 resources, including shelters and nonprofit agencies; official information and referral service of Orange County’s United Way; Spanish speakers available; 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday; (714) 955-2255

* Orange County Social Services Agency: Information about welfare, food stamps, Medi-Cal and many other services; (714) 541-7700

* Orange County Health Care Agency: Oversees public health, mental health and emergency medical services; (714) 834-4722

* United Way of Orange County: Provides a network and support system for a wide range of agencies that serve the poor; (714) 660-7600

* Volunteer Center of Greater Orange County: Links people who want to volunteer with agencies that need their time and abilities; (714) 953-5757

FREE MEDICAL AND DENTAL CLINICS

* Share Our Selves, 1550 Superior Ave, Costa Mesa: Medical and dental services; walk-in medical care begins at 4:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:30 a.m. Fridays; dental clinic open Monday through Friday mornings, but patients must arrive by 7:30 a.m. to get a number; (714) 650-0640

* Lestonnac Clinic, 1215 E. Chapman Ave., Orange: Medical and dental services; Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and occasional Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; (714) 633-4600

SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

* Children’s Home Society of California: Main office: 1950 E. 17th St., Santa Ana. Children’s, family and adoptive services; (714) 835-8252. Agency also operates Kid Care referral line for parents seeking child-care referrals; (714) 543-2273, or from South County, (714) 364-6605

* Community Service Programs Offices throughout the county offering counseling, intervention and substance abuse treatment for teens; also runs youth shelter, (714) 250-0488; (714) 494-4311 for 24-hour social services referrals.

* Child Abuse Registry: 24-hour hot line to report suspected child abuse, (714) 938-0505

* Adult Abuse Registry: 24-hour hot line to report suspected abuse of a dependent adult, (714) 566-3116

SHELTERS

* The county has more than 50 shelters, many of which do not accept residents on a drop-in basis and most of which have specialized clientele, such as homeless families, single men, or abused women; for information call Info Link, Orange County, (714) 955-2255

SERVICES FOR THE POOR

Here are a few of the larger charities and nonprofit organizations serving the poor:

* Anaheim IndependenciaCommunity Center Inc., 10841 Garza Ave., Anaheim: Founded in 1976, serves mainly Latino population; immigration counseling, translation services, student tutoring, youth recreation program, daily bread giveaway, hot-lunch program for seniors; (714) 826-9070

* Catholic Charities of Orange County, 1506 Brookhollow Drive, Suite 112, Santa Ana: Wide range of services from traditional humanitarian assistance to family counseling, citizenship classes, document preparation and resettlement program for new immigrants; helps all denominations; (714) 662-7500

* The Cambodian Family Inc., 1111 Wakeham Ave., Santa Ana: Counseling, job training and English classes to Southeast Asian refugees; (714) 571-1966

* ESA: 1709 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente: Once known as the Episcopal Service Alliance, it receives support from churches representing about 20 denominations; emergency and transitional programs, including financial aid, refugee assistance, food bags and thrift shop; also operates three shelters; (714) 361-7545

* Friends In Service to Humanity: Outreach organization tries to prevent hunger and homelessness in Irvine, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa; provides rent for move-ins; offers child-care subsidies, utility payments and bags of food; (714) 645-8050

* Irvine Temporary Housing: 15029 Sand Canyon, Irvine: Housing assistance, food and counseling to families and individuals facing homelessness; food pantry and, clothing closet; school supplies to children at start of the school year; holiday food and gift program; (714) 552-2727

* Lutheran Social Services: 12432 9th St., Garden Grove: Hot meal program at emergency assistance center in Garden Grove; other emergency and long-term services, including transportation program and individual, family counseling; Garden Grove center, (714) 534-6450; main office in Orange, (714) 771-2969

* Salvation Army: 10200 Pioneer Road, Tustin: Multitude of services, including shelter to homeless and nutritional and recreational programs for seniors; nationally acclaimed substance-abuse program; offices throughout county; Spanish-speaking services available; (714) 832-7100

* Serving People in Need (SPIN), 4921 Birch St., Suite 190, Newport Beach: Runs housing program for low-income families, paying move-in costs; also provides budget and credit counseling, tutors for children and adults, and substance abuse program; (714) 757-1456

* Share Our Selves, 1550 Superior Ave., Costa Mesa: Orange County’s largest charity; short- and long-term assistance to poor, including emergency food bags and financial aid; operates free medical and dental clinics; main number, (714) 642-3451; medical and dental clinics, (714) 650-0640

* Southwest Community Center, 1601 W. 2nd St., Santa Ana: Breakfast and lunch seven days per week; food bags, clothing, rental assistance, motel vouchers and limited job referrals for low-income residents; children’s summer program and extensive holiday programs; (714) 543-8933

FREE LEGAL HELP/INFORMATION

* Legal Aid Society of Orange County: 902 N. Main St., Santa Ana: Free civil legal services to qualified low-income residents, with priority areas in family law, government benefits, housing and consumer matters; main office in Santa Ana, (714) 835-8806; Anaheim, (714) 533-7490; Huntington Beach, (714) 536-8864

* Orange County Bar Assn.: 401 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana: Referrals, (714) 835-8811; free taped legal library covering general information on several hundred legal topics, including child custody, divorce and landlord-tenant disputes; available at (714) 835-5294 or TEL-LAW4

* Orange County Public Defender’s Office: 901 Civic Center Drive West, Suite 200, Santa Ana: Free legal services to criminal defendants; main number at Superior Court, Santa Ana, (714) 834-2144

SPECIALIZED SERVICES

* DayleMcIntosh Center for the Disabled, 150 W. Cerritos Ave. Building 4, Anaheim: Assists disabled people in living independent lives through a variety of programs and services; (714) 772-8285

* Senior Citizens Information Line: Referrals for elderly services throughout the county; (714) 567-7500

* Southern California Indian Center, 12755 Brookhurst St., Garden Grove: American Indian services, including employment, training, education and social services; (714) 530-0221

* Travelers Aid Society: 9872 Chapman Ave., Garden Grove: Services include emergency counseling, homelessness prevention, crisis intervention and a return to residence program; (714) 530-2426

* United Family Service of Orange County: 18001 Cowan, Suite C, Irvine: Substance abuse and family counseling on a sliding fee basis; 660-8020

* Vietnamese Community of Orange County: 1616 West 1st St., Santa Ana: Services to Asian seniors, including family counseling, translation, ESL classes and food distribution; (714) 558-6009