As fundraising continues to be challenging for charities in Orange County and beyond due to the pandemic, the Newport Beach-based Decorative Arts Society (DARTS) has announced that it has given 12 Orange County non-profit organizations a total of $275,000 in grants for the 2021-2022 year.
Earlier this year, DARTS announced that it gave a record $325,000 to women’s and children’s charities in Orange County during the pandemic. The organization has given over $3 million to local non-profit organizations since its inception 26 years ago.
“While the pandemic has created challenges for everyone, it has caused unprecedented hardships for women and children who are at-risk or in need. We’re seeing a bigger need than ever to support local charities, who in turn help those who are most vulnerable in our community,” said Laraine Eggleston, President of DARTS. “We are proud to continue our work to help so many in the community who need financial assistance with shelter, medical bills, and meeting basic needs at this time.”
The Orange County charities who received grants include:
- Mariposa Women and Family Center, which seeks to stabilize the lives of low-income women through therapeutic mental health intervention targeting substance abuse, domestic violence, anxiety, anger management and life skills.
- Laura’s House, which will use the grant to support their outreach education Youth Dating Violence Prevention Program that provides OC teens and young adults with information about the growing incidence of dating abuse, how to maintain their safety and prevent abuse in their own lives, and adopt healthy behaviors and help break the multigenerational cycle of violence.
- Breast Cancer Solutions, which provides financial support, community resource navigation, and emotional support to financially disadvantaged breast cancer patients experiencing financial hardship during treatment.
- Intervention Center for Early Childhood, which will use their grant to support its Ounce of Prevention Program. This provides low-income, high-risk children with free developmental delay assessments and follow up early intervention and therapeutic services.
- Friendly Center, whose grant will support the Family Support Advocate Program, which provides at-risk, low-income Orange County families with a family support advocate to help stabilize their immediate crisis, increase coping skills, reduce risk factors of violence, assess family needs and coordinate a case plan for success. A portion of the grant will also support their food pantry located in Northern Orange County.
- Beyond Blindness (formally Blind Children’s Learning Center), which provides early intervention services to children and mothers via their Bright Visions Early Childhood Center, designed for affected children ages 6 months to 7 years.
- Taller San Jose/Hope Builders, will use their grant to fund its Health Care Training Program, which prepares disadvantaged, unemployed young women for careers as medical assistants and ultimately increases their life and economic stability.
- Casa Youth Shelter will fund its Residential Shelter Care Program, which provides shelter, counseling, case management, and educational services to at-risk, run away, and homeless youth.
- Boys Hope Girls Hope, which will use the grant to support this Orange County-based academic scholarship and boarding home for children in need for their College Road Program, a college prep and completion curriculum for children considered homeless by the California Department of Education.
- SPIN (Serving People in Need, Inc.) will use their grant on their housing program, GAPP (Guided Assistance to Permanent Placement), which provides financial assistance for housing, including rapid rehousing, transitional housing, and rental assistance for families in crisis with children.
- Thomas House, which provides transitional rent-free housing and comprehensive support and prevention services to homeless families. The grant will fund up to two apartments.
- WTLC (Women’s Transitional Living Center), which offers comprehensive services including immediate shelter and longer-term support to all survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking.
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.
