As fundraising continues to be a challenge for charities in Orange County due to the pandemic, inflation and other factors, the Newport Beach-based Decorative Arts Society (also known as DARTS) has announced that it has given 13 Orange County non-profit organizations a total of $275,000 in grants for the 2022-2023 year.
An additional gift of $60,000 from an anonymous DARTS donor has been given to two vetted nonprofits.
The organization has given $3.6 million to local nonprofit organizations since its inception 26 years ago.
“The last two years have been difficult for charities not only to fundraise, but to meet the needs of the increased number of Orange County women, children and families who are at-risk or in need,” said Madeline Hayward, President of DARTS. “This year we have tried to cover children from toddlers through young adulthood as well as provide family support to help them achieve a stable household with food, parenting know how, and the life skills to provide a better future for the whole family. We’re proud to continue our grants program to help these local nonprofits provide much needed shelter, counseling, educational, and basic needs services here in Orange County.”
The Orange County charities who received grants include:
- Breast Cancer Solutions in Irvine will provide direct financial assistance to up to 130 clients to eliminate financial barriers to breast cancer treatments. This includes transportation, food and rent assistance.
- Build Futures in Huntington Beach will use their grant for its Steps to Success program. It provides homeless young adults ages 18 to 24 with immediate housing, basic needs, job assistance, and counseling so they can be self-sufficient.
- Casa Youth Shelter in Los Alamitos will fund its Residential Shelter Care Program for youths ages 12 to 17. Their 24-hour service provides emergency housing and counseling for youth suffering from abuse and/or mental health issues, or who are runaways. Family intervention is also provided if needed.
- Caterina’s Club in Orange will use its grant for the Feeding Kids in America program, which feeds 12,000 children each day from hotels or cars at Boys & Girls Clubs, schools, and community centers in Orange County.
- Family Support Network in Orange will use its grant for their Bright Horizons and BLOOM programs, which identify developmental delays in young children and provides family counseling and support services to address these problems.
- Friendly Center in Orange and Buena Park will use the funds for its the new center in Buena Park. Using a Community Resource Center model, the center will provide walk-in counseling, after-school tutoring, a library, and 15 other services to low-income families in need.
- Fristers in Irvine will use their grant to fund its Life Coach and Kidster programs, which work in tandem to help very young teen mothers and their children in Orange County.
- Homeless Intervention Services in Placentia will fund their Transitional Housing Program, which provides wrap-around services for homeless families who will live together. The services help them transition to a stable life and a job with a living wage.
- Hope Builders in Anaheim and Santa Ana will support their outstanding Healthcare Training Program, a back-end medical or an occupational autism class with counseling and life skills training that ends with a certificate and job placement.
- Laura’s House in Aliso Viejo will fund their educational program, HEART, on teen dating and teen self-esteem to bring it to more high schools and teen groups.
- Laurel House/Hope Harbor in Tustin will use its grant to fund its Residential Shelter Care Program, which provides residential/mental long-term counseling for at-risk teens in a home environment.
- South County Outreach in Irvine will support their Hunger and Homeless Prevention services, including The Market, their extensive food pantry. They also have subsidized housing and case management so Orange County residents, especially children, don’t go to bed hungry.
- Women’s Transitional Living Center (WTLC) in Fullerton will use their grant to fund its shelter and supportive services for women and children surviving violence in the family. The shelter provides safe housing, intensive counseling for children and adults, and is the only Orange County shelter to allows pets.
The additional $60,000 donor gift will help fund two special projects, including a new van for Caterina’s Kitchen, which will distribute meals to children around Orange County, and a safe new play yard for children at the Women’s Transitional Living Center.
The Decorative Arts Society, established in 1995, is a membership organization that offers an annual lecture series by nationally and internationally renowned experts in the decorative arts, including interior design, architecture, landscape, fashion, and other aspects of the arts. Through subscriptions, donations, and other fundraising, the Decorative Arts Society provides grants to Orange County charities serving women, children, and families.
For more information on the Decorative Arts Society and membership opportunities, please visit www.decorativeartssociety.net.
