Orange County Generous to Charity

* I must respond to your Feb. 7 editorial “Two Ways to Boost Charity.” The Times stated that we must develop a commitment to broader charitable causes from new donors in the high-tech industries. You also stated the need to develop a charitable giving profile among Latinos and Asians as key to raising the level of philanthropy in “stingy” Orange County.

The Orange County Community Foundation experiences a dynamic sense of “giving back” to our community as reflected in our statistics.

In the 10 years of our existence, charitable funds have been established in the name of over 135 families and businesses for broad general purposes. Just in the last six months, grants totaling $1.5 million were distributed to charities! This is almost twice the amount from the same time period last year.

With a challenge grant in 1990, a diverse group of individuals launched the Orange County Community Foundation to a strong community presence, with current assets of $38 million.

Our ethnically diverse community has responded with great enthusiasm, creating scholarships, funding local school foundations, supporting music programs, health clinics and hundreds of other nonprofit organizations.

While some studies do portray Orange Countians as tightwads in view of the county’s affluence, a review of the achievements of the many people, ethnic groups and corporations who give through the Orange County Community Foundation counters that view.

JUDITH SWAYNE

Executive director,

O.C. Community Foundation