On August 24, the Newport Beach-based Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) hosted Greatness Amplified – a collaborative online Giving Day to support 12 Boys & Girls Clubs throughout Orange County, including the Boys & Girls Club of Newport Beach, part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast.
OCCF announced that 458 donors contributed $396,342 to participating Clubs to support their vital missions on behalf of Orange County youth.
According to the 27th Annual Report on the Conditions of Children in Orange County, nearly half of the county’s students, totaling 222,111 kids, were eligible for the National Free and Reduced Price Lunch program, which is considered to be an indicator of children living in poverty or of working poor families. These are startling statistics when considering the impact of socioeconomic barriers on students’ academic success when nationally, a collaborative of researchers found high-poverty schools were disproportionately affected by remote learning during the 2020-2021 school year.
With the academic progress of so many students at risk, the efforts of experienced youth-serving organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs are more crucial than ever. Boys & Girls Clubs empower youth to excel in school and positively contribute to their communities through engaging programs focused on academics, health, and leadership.
Clubs participating in OCCF’s Greatness Amplified Giving Day will utilize contributions received to support initiatives helping students improve academic, vocational and life skills, develop healthy relationships, and cultivate a commitment to lifelong learning and service.
Greatness Amplified nonprofit participants included the Boys & Girls Clubs of Brea – Placentia – Yorba Linda, Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast, Boys & Girls Club of Fullerton, Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Anaheim-Cypress, Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley, Boys & Girls Clubs of La Habra, Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, Boys & Girls Club of the South Coast, Boys & Girls Club of Stanton, and Boys & Girls Club of Tustin.
“We thank the Orange County community for their support of local Boys & Girls Clubs that serve as much-needed allies for our youth,” said Shelley Hoss, president and CEO of the Orange County Community Foundation. “OCCF is proud to host Greatness Amplified to ensure that every young person feels empowered to succeed and reach their full potential.”
Greatness Amplified is part of OCCF’s iheartOC Collaborative Giving Days, an annual initiative that designates cause-specific giving days focused on critical community issues. The online giving model matches OC nonprofits with shared missions – from homelessness and workforce development to preserving ecosystems and supporting local veterans – to create momentum on one shared day and leverage a combined outreach effort for collective success.
In 2021, the 10 days secured support from 8,485 donors and raised a record $4.5 million for 112 local nonprofits. Since its start in 2015, OCCF’s Collaborative Giving Days have raised nearly $18 million for Orange County nonprofits.
For more information about Orange County Community Foundation Collaborative Giving Days, please visit www.oc-cf.org/givingdays.
Founded in 1989, the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) works with donors, strengthens the local nonprofit sector and works to find solutions to community needs. Since its inception, OCCF has awarded $900 million in grants and scholarships, ranking the organization as the 3rd most active grantmaker among all U.S. community foundations.
For more information, visit www.oc-cf.org.
