Making a Difference in O.C.

Philanthropy is a part of life in Orange County. Every day, people generously lend a hand to help others.

To recognize such efforts, Southern California Living publishes information about fund-raising events that make a difference in the lives of so many--from those who give to those who receive. Every Tuesday we list opportunities to help others, whether mentoring a teen or serving a meal to a senior.

For this holiday season, we are extending our list of such volunteer opportunities and including wish lists from nonprofit agencies who serve the disadvantaged in Orange County. A compilation, alphabetical by city, began Tuesday and will run over a few days. Requests were compiled from information sent to The Times from agencies and the Volunteer Center of Greater Orange County. The Southern California Living staff is teaming up to help a health-care agency for the homeless.

We’d like to hear about your good deeds, whether you donate a box of diapers or adopt a family. Please write to us, explaining what you did and how it made you feel.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Today’s holiday volunteer opportunities and wish list includes agencies in Orange and countywide. More holiday wishes will appear in this section Thursday and Friday.

Orange

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates): Volunteers are needed for a Dec. 19 party for about 250 abused, abandoned and neglected children. Volunteers will organize a toy drive and help raise money. Donation wish list: new unwrapped toys; gift certificates; new housewares. Kate Helm, (714) 663-9051.

CCAP/The Juvenile Connection Program: Twenty volunteers are needed to bake cookies, wrap gifts, handle donations, photograph and help organize a fund-raiser for unintended adolescent pregnancy prevention programs. Donation wish list: silent auction items; food; invitations; computer printers; software; videos for counselor- training program; computer copy paper; postage. Margreta Klassen, (714) 972-4859.

Canning Hunger Inc.: One hundred volunteers are needed to help sort, pack and deliver 17,000 food baskets as well as raise money for the hungry. Donation wish list: toys; money; toiletries; food. (Minimum age for volunteers is 7.) Greg or Norm, (714) 279-6570.

Child Abuse Services Team (CAST): Volunteers are needed to bake cookies, wrap gifts, sing carols, dress up as Santa and pick up and deliver donations for child victims of sexual abuse and their families. Donation wish list: unwrapped toys for 300 kids of all ages; cookies and other snacks; cosmetics; toiletries; money; baskets; wrapping paper; tape; ribbon. (Minimum age for volunteers is 14.) Jan Grotewold, (714) 935-7008.

City of Orange Police Department: Volunteers are needed to provide general office and clerical support. (Minimum age for volunteers is 13.) Deborah Klein, (714) 744-7328.

Council of Orange County Society of St. Vincent de Paul: Volunteers are needed to adopt a family for the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, sort and pack toys, pick up and deliver donations for the Toys for Tots program and help provide holiday food baskets to those in need. Donation wish list: food; toys; clothing; money. (Minimum age for volunteers is 14.) Marilyn Ryan, (714) 547-5566.

The Friendly Center Inc. Twenty-five volunteers are needed to provide holiday food baskets and toys to low-income families. Donation wish list: toys; money; food; canned hams; Polaroid film for pictures with Santa; turkey gift certificates. (Minimum age for volunteers is 16.) Cathy Selig, (714) 771-5300.

Hugs for Health Foundation: Three hundred volunteers are needed to provide hug therapy and support services to seniors or a facility, prepare and serve meals, bake cookies, help organize party, wrap gifts, sing carols, dress up as Santa, photograph the event and pick up and deliver donations. Donation wish list: greeting cards; stocking stuffers; Christmas trees; decoration; robes; blankets; books; women’s and men’s pajamas. Jo Lindberg, (714) 832-4847.

Mental Health Assn. of Orange County: This agency serves the homeless and mentally ill. Donation wish list: men’s and women’s clothes; food; toiletries; money; furniture; computers. Cheryl Leisenfelder, (714) 547-7559.

Orange Children & Parents Together Inc.: Fifteen volunteers are needed to sort and pack food baskets and toys and raise money for at-risk families. Project Holiday provides more than 1,500 food boxes and 3,000 toys to those in need. Donation wish list: food; money to purchase bulk food. Eve Ko, (714) 639-4000.

Orange County Animal Shelter: Volunteers are needed to take pets to senior citizens centers, visit, pick up and deliver donations and help with holiday projects. Donation wish list: pet items. (Minimum age for volunteers is 18.) Barbara Morrison, (714) 935-6301.

Orange Empire Conference: Twenty volunteers are needed each day to run football games and a cheer festival as well as provide security and fieldwork for the Pop Warner Youth Football organization. Donation wish list: money. Diane Ferguson, (714) 633-1746.

Orangewood Children’s Home: Volunteer groups are needed to plan holiday activities and parties for children who have been abused, neglected or abandoned and to collect toys for the children to receive on Christmas morning. (Minimum age for volunteers is 18.) Rose Cary or Rick Bazant, (714) 935-7571.

Padre Foundation: Ten volunteers are needed to wrap gifts and help organize this agency’s Christmas party for children who have juvenile diabetes and their families. Jackie Teichmann, (714) 532-8330.

YWCA of Central Orange County: Fifty volunteers are needed to prepare and serve meals, sort and pack food baskets and toys, adopt a family, bake cookies, help organize holiday a party, wrap gifts, dress up as Santa Claus or an elf, sing carols, photograph the event, pick up and deliver donations and raise money for families in need. Donation wish list: new toys; funds for homeless and low-income children’s programs; toiletries; food. This agency helps women and children by providing programs that allow them to improve their economic, physical and emotional well-being. (Minimum age for volunteers is 12.) Cathy Mizjewski, (714) 633-4952.

Countywide

County of Orange, Operation Santa Claus: Volunteers are needed to collect and distribute holiday gifts, toys, monetary donations or gift certificates to children and seniors who are either abused, neglected, physically or mentally challenged, homeless or in foster care. Donation wish list: new gifts for children, teens and seniors; money; gift certificates. (Minimum age for volunteers is 16.) Jane Dawson, (714) 834-7330.

For more opportunities:

* The Volunteer Center of Greater Orange County, a resource center for volunteers and nonprofit organizations. Call (714) 953-5757, Ext. 106. Or visit its Web site at https://www.volunteercenter.org, which lists 1,500 local organizations.

* The Volunteer Exchange, (714) 899-6849.