ORANGE

County officials will join a host of contributors this morning to break ground on a $700,000 renovation of the Orangewood Children’s Home. The shelter is the county’s only emergency center for abused, abandoned or neglected children. Orangewood offers aid and shelter to some 3,000 children over the course of a year, frequently exceeding its 236-bed capacity. The renovation will not include the addition of more beds but will increase the living areas for teenagers who are there.

Local contractors and others will donate much of the labor and materials to renovate the center’s five residences, rehabilitate the playing field and build a 300,000-square-foot building for arts and therapy rooms. “This will enhance the quality of life for the children and allow the staff to serve them better,” said Gene Howard, executive director of the Orangewood Foundation. The project should be completed by July.