Love means giving, and the Newport Beach-based Orange County Community Foundation is taking that to heart on February 10 by hosting the third annual Love Is Giving Day, a 24-hour online effort to support healthy teen relationships in Orange County.
The Love Is Giving Day aims to raise more than $100,000 for 10 local nonprofits who are committed to supporting, educating and empowering local teens: Casa de la Familia; Find Your Anchor; Initiative to End Family Violence, UC Irvine; Laura’s House; LGBTQ Center OC; OC Pride; Orange County Family Justice Center Foundation; Planned Parenthood of Orange & San Bernardino Counties, Inc.; The Priority Center; and Women’s Transitional Living Center, Inc.
According to information from OCCF, the past few years have seen an increase in self-harm, suicide source, domestic abuse source, and hate crime in Orange County. Those numbers have grown since the pandemic began in March, as school closures and other social distancing requirements have cut off a primary source of psychological support for many teens, putting them at higher risk of anxiety or depression source.
The participating nonprofits have also seen an increase in calls and need for services. Women’s Transitional Living Center, Inc. reported a 70 percent increase in calls for shelter, counseling, legal services, and safety plans. Laura’s House has received nearly 100 calls per day.
The Love Is Giving Day is an opportunity for donors to be part of a combined effort aimed at delivering life-changing support to those who need it. The partnering nonprofits are focused on mental health support, domestic violence prevention, and LGBTQ+ advocacy, and share the common mission of helping Orange County teens achieve well-being.
Held during Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month and with Valentine’s Day coming up, the Love Is Giving Day challenges us to redefine what Love Is and inspires individuals to recognize their inherent value.
“This Love Is Giving Day is a chance to deliver critical support to local nonprofits who are working hard to provide a nurturing and empowering environment to those in need,” said Tammy Tumbling, executive vice president and COO of OCCF. “We are proud to help facilitate this collaborative community effort which seeks to break cycles of self-harm, violence, and abuse – and together build a safer and more loving Orange County.”
The Love Is campaign is part of OCCF’s iheartOC Collaborative Giving Days, an annual initiative which designates 10 days out of the year as cause-specific giving days and challenges residents to engage in supporting ongoing community issues.
The online giving model matches OC nonprofits with shared missions – from homelessness to preserving ecosystems to supporting local veterans – to gain momentum on one shared day and leverage a combined marketing effort for collective success.
In 2020, the 10 giving days secured support from 6,476 donors and raised a record $3,227,500 for 98 nonprofits. Since its start in 2015, OCCF’s Collaborative Giving Days has raised more than $10 million for Orange County nonprofits.
To give online during the 24-hour Love Is Giving Day, please visit https://love-is-giving-day.ocnonprofitcentral.org. For more information about Orange County Community Foundation Collaborative Giving Days, please visit www.oc-cf.org/givingdays.
