Community members can have fun and support a good cause this Sunday at the Newport Coast Holiday Carnival.
The Newport Coast Moms Offering Moms Support Club will host the event, which will raise money for the Interval House, a local organization that runs crisis shelters and centers for victims of domestic abuse.
The carnival will feature free games, bounce house, crafts, food, face painting and more.
The event will also include a bake sale and a silent auction, with items like a Botox treatment and a romantic weekend in San Diego.
The MOMS group has already raised more than $2,000 for the cause.
“Our group of moms have come together to make sure women have a safe place to go,” said Elizabeth Carmichael, co-chair of the carnival for the MOMS Club. “This event isn’t just about raising money, but also to create awareness for such an important and devastating issue.”
Interval House was founded in 1979 and operates one of the oldest, largest and most comprehensive domestic violence programs in the nation.
It runs two emergency shelters, four transitional housing sites, two community service centers, and 10 satellite centers in the highest risk communities of Orange County and surrounding areas.
“Women staying at Interval House shelters have fled horrific and terrifying abuse,” Carmichael said.
Seeking help at an Interval House emergency shelter with her two young children was the best decision Janine Limas ever made, she said.
“I lived in constant terror and the nightmare became progressively worse as time went on,” said Limas, who same now speaks out about education and prevention on behalf of the nonprofit. “The minute I walked through the shelter I knew everything was going to be okay. If it had not been for Interval House I truly believe I would not be here today. They gave me my life back.”
By supporting the Interval House, the Newport Coast MOMS club is helping women start new lives, free from abuse, Carmichael said.
The mission of the international moms club is to provide support and friendship to stay-at-home moms, along with participation in philanthropic projects.
Local businesses that have donated their time or underwritten the event include: Arty Brush Strokes, Dolly’s Cotton Candy, Amp Research, Pretty Baked Goods, SugarBead, Joseph Ahn of Best Customs Service and Drs. James Vartanian and Bita Bagheri.
The free event is open to the public and will be held at the Newport Coast Community Center on San Joaquin Hills Road from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
