On July 29, the Newport Beach-based Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) hosted the third annual Preserving Dignity, a Giving Day for OC’s older adults in need.
This 24-hour online effort raised $190,898 (255 percent of the original fundraising goal) from more than 390 donors in support of five local nonprofits serving a population that is exceedingly vulnerable to the pandemic.
“We are continuously amazed by the generosity of our local Orange County community, which united to help support our older adult neighbors who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19,” said Shelley Hoss, president and CEO, OCCF. “It is critical to provide older adults in need with the vital resources they require during these uncertain times, and OCCF could not be more proud to support local nonprofits in this mission.”
The five participating organizations included Alzheimer’s Orange County, Council on Aging-Southern California, Meals on Wheels Orange County, Southern California Hospice Foundation and St. Francis Home.
Fundraisers, in-person classes, activities and events have been indefinitely suspended for the participating nonprofits due to the extremely high risk that seniors face from COVID-19. The Preserving Dignity Giving Day provided critical funds to help the participating nonprofits continue to pivot their programming to offer virtual support for the older adults they serve and to ensure safety for those to whom they provide meals and housing.
This Giving Day is the latest of a series that, to date, has raised more than $10 million for Orange County nonprofits. Additional collaborative Giving Days will be announced in the coming months. For more information, please visit www.oc-cf.org/iheartoc.
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 more than $700 million in grants and scholarships and ranks in the top one percent in grantmaking activity among more than 780 U.S. community foundations. For more information, visit oc-cf.org.
