Thanksgiving is a Time to Give to Those In Need

We have much for which we are grateful.

We are grateful for for our freedoms, and for those whose sacrifices, past and present, have made those freedoms endure for generations.

We are grateful for our families and friends, and for the love that makes life worthwhile.

We are grateful for our beautiful City of Irvine, our beautiful state of California, and our beautiful planet.

We are grateful for our frontline health care workers, especially during this pandemic.

We are grateful for our firefighters, police and first responders, and for our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen.

We are grateful for everyone in our community and our nation who protects us and serves those in need.

We are grateful for the volunteers who comfort the sick and care for the young and the aged.

We are grateful for those who offer food, shelter, and medical care to those who have no home.

We are grateful that we are fortunate enough to be able to help others.

Our family, especially during the holidays, supports ClothingDonations.org, a service of Vietnam Veterans of America.  ClothingDonations.org will pick up your used clothes and household goods at your convenience and use them to support programs that address the needs of all our veterans.

We also support Families Forward, an Irvine-based organization that assists Orange County families in financial crisis to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency and helps these families to once again become independent, productive residents of the community. During the holidays, Families Forward also provides in-need families with festive food baskets and personalized holiday gifts.

Another worthy organization is the California Association of Food Banks, founded in 1995 to help hungry people throughout California, including our local Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and the Community Action Partnership of Orange County Food Bank.

Our City of Irvine proudly and gratefully supports the Irvine 2/11 Marine Adoption Committee, which provides charitable and educational activities and support for the benefit and welfare of the United States Marines and their families assigned to Camp Pendleton, California, with special emphasis on the Marines and families of the 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines.

Donations of toys can be made to the 2/11 Marines Holiday Toy Drive benefiting families of Irvine’s adopted 2/11 Marine Battalion. Help bring joy to these families during the holidays by donating a new, unwrapped gift suitable for infants or children ages 12 and younger.  Donations can be dropped off through December 14 at the Irvine Civic Center, Irvine Police Headquarters, and the Great Park Visitors Center.

We also endorse giving to Socks for Heroes, which ships socks along with other essentials to United States Marine Corps combat infantry units, provides Marine children the ability to take advantage of swimming lessons, sports, and camps, and provides other programs for single Marines and Marine families during deployments.

Gift cards for Firefighters can be mailed or delivered to the OCFA Firefighter’s Benevolent Association for Firefighters in need.  Monetary donations can be made to Firefighter organizations such as the OCFA Foundation and the Wildland Firefighter Foundation.  Donations can also be made to the California Fire Museum and Safety Leaning Center.

This year, through the involvement of my son, I learned about the great work of Wound Walk OC, which tends to the wounds of unsheltered people in Orange County.  Founded three years ago by filmmaker Michael Sean Wright, Wound Walk OC’s mission is to “Practice equity in action. Bring relief to those most in need. Inspire empathetic future healthcare advocates and field medics. Provide encouragement to communities by showing what caring volunteers can accomplish.”

The members of Wound Walk OC, including our son, Max, are street medics who go to where unsheltered people live — in parks and other areas — with a “wound wagon” filled with emergency medical supplies donated by the community.  They offer emergency first aid/medical care to homeless people with wounds and other injuries that, without Wound Walk’s intervention, would go untreated, with serious and potentially deadly consequences. They also provide food, drinking water, underwear and socks. Their work in helping unsheltered people with wounds and other medical issues is truly on the front lines of the homelessness crisis — even more so under the dangerous conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. As Spectrum News One has reported, “While doctors and nurses continue to battle on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wright [and Wound Walk OC] is in many ways on the front lines of its humanity.”

This Thanksgiving is a perfect time to help Wound Walk OC care for our unsheltered brothers and sisters, by donating or visiting their Amazon wish list for needed supplies.  If you would like to know more, or learn more about how you can help, contact Wound Walk OC at woundwalkoc@gmail.com or call 949-973-3317.

Each year at Thanksgiving, we remember our friend Michael Kinslow and his beautiful Prayer of Thanksgiving for those who protect and those who serve:

Thank you God for every woman and man who risks their life for my freedom and safety.

Please bless their families with peace.

Thank you God for every child, woman, and man who volunteers in my community. All of those who feed the hungry, provide shelter, and all who put their hearts, minds, and souls into building up others and caring for all of your creatures.

Please bless them in their own time of need.

Amen.

Wear a mask. Stay safe.

Melissa

Helping Wound Walk OC

Wound Walk OC tends to the wounds of unsheltered people in Orange County.

Founded three years ago by filmmaker Michael Sean Wright, Wound Walk OC’s mission is to “Practice equity in action. Bring relief to those most in need. Inspire empathetic future healthcare advocates and field medics. Provide encouragement to communities by showing what caring volunteers can accomplish.”

Grateful for the opportunity to help my friends Teresa Lai and Jerry Chen and Asian American for a Better Community contribute 5,000 face masks to Wound Walk OC. With Michael Sean Wight.

The members of Wound Walk OC are street medics who go to where unsheltered people live — in parks and other areas — with a “wound wagon” filled with emergency medical supplies donated by the community.

They offer emergency first aid/medical care to homeless people with wounds and other injuries that, without Wound Walk’s intervention, would go untreated, with serious and potentially deadly consequences. They also provide food, drinking water, underwear and socks.

Their work in helping unsheltered people with wounds and other medical issues is truly on the front lines of the homelessness crisis — even more so under the dangerous conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As Spectrum News One has reported, “While doctors and nurses continue to battle on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wright [and Wound Walk OC] is in many ways on the front lines of its humanity.”

Max Fox of Wound Walk OC checks a woman’s blood pressure.

The street medics of Wound Walk OC protect themselves against the pandemic as best they can with disinfectant, multiple layers of personal protective equipment, and sets of gloves, as they provide direct relief for those who need it most.

As Michael Sean Wright recently told ABC News, “For the unsheltered communities, public libraries and fast food restaurants are sometimes their only access to restrooms, and so when those close down, as they have during this pandemic, it’s like the water turned off. If you’re not getting water flowing or the wound covered or cleaned outside, you are exposed to insects, or further trauma that’s coming and infections.  When that happens, we urge them to seek medical attention. We have great clinics up and down here that folks don’t know they can go to, so our opportunity is to intro and help them get that care.”

I’m glad that I was recently able to help my friends Teresa Lai and Jerry Chen and Asian American for a Better Community contribute 5,000 face masks to Wound Walk OC.

I’m also proud that my son, Max Fox, has joined Wound Walk OC and is putting his EMT and HazMat training to much needed use while he is on pandemic-break from college and from the Fairbanks North Star Borough HazMat Team.

If you would like to help Wound Walk OC care for our unsheltered brothers and sisters, please consider donating or visiting their Amazon wish list for needed supplies.

If you would like to know more, or learn more about how you can help, contact Wound Walk OC at woundwalkoc@gmail.com or call 949-973-3317.

Helping Each Other in a Time of Crisis: Here are Some Organizations that Could Use Your Help Now.

Over the last several months during the COVID-19 crisis, Second Harvest Food Bank and OC Food Bank have seen record volumes of food distribution.  As the crisis continues, it is likely that the demand for food assistance will continue to increase.

I participated today in a food drive today in support of Save Our Youth (SOY).  The food drive was sponsored by my friend, Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, who represents California’s 74th Assembly District. Thank you, Cottie, for this opportunity to help others!

As we work together to fight back against COVID-19, there are many volunteer organizations in our community looking for additional resources and support.  In particular, many families in Orange County are in need of food.  Blood centers are also in urgent need.

Here are some organizations that could use your help right now:

Community Action Partnership of Orange County (CAPOC) w/ Orange County Food Bank

11870 Monarch St.

Garden Grove, CA 92841

(714) 897-6670

Possible volunteer tasks: Box and deliver lunches.

Meals on Wheels Orange County

1200 N Knollwood Circle

Anaheim, CA 92801

(714) 220-0224

Possible volunteer tasks: Drivers and donations.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County

8014 Marine Way

Irvine, CA 92618

(949) 653-2900

Possible volunteer tasksHarvest Truck Brigade, Field Distribution Team, Donations.

Red Cross (Desert to the Sea Region)

Multiple locations: please visit the website for a location close to you.

Possible volunteer tasks: Blood donation.

Pathways of Hope

1231 E Chapman Avenue

Fullerton, CA 92831

(714) 680-3691

Possible volunteer tasksTransporting, sorting, stocking food.

During this time of crisis, it is important that we all look out for our fellow community members.

If you have any questions or need assistance connecting to other community resources, please contact my Senior Executive Assistant, Alli Binder at abinder@cityofirvine.org.

See also: My up-to-date COVID-19 Resources and Information Page.

Please wear a mask in public and practice social distancing. Let’s work together to stop the spread of COVID-19 so we can all return to work, school, and our normal lives!

Our Community Food Banks Need Your Help!

Our community food banks need your help! 

Over the last several weeks during the COVID-19 crisis, Second Harvest Food Bank and OC Food Bank have seen record volumes of food distribution.  As the crisis continues, it is likely that demand will continue to increase. 

Both of our local community food banks are urgently requesting support from the community so that they are able to accommodate the increased demand for food assistance. 

It is essential that community members who are able to assist our community food banks do what they can during this time of great need.  

If you are able, here is what you can do to help: 

Second Harvest Food Bank Orange County

Second Harvest Food Bank (located in Irvine, serving all of Orange County) is accepting donations on the organization’s web page here. You can make a one-time contribution for as low as $25 or if you prefer, you can set up recurring contributions to help Second Harvest get through the COVID-19 crisis.

For more information and updates about drive-thru food distribution centers visit the Second Harvest Facebook page here

OC Food Bank

OC Food Bank (located in Garden Grove, serving all of Orange County) is encouraging all who are able to host a virtual food drive. Members of the community can host a virtual food drive without leaving their homes. All it takes is three easy steps; create a virtual food drive page, personalize your page, and then share your page with family and friends encouraging them to contribute to the cause. For more information and to set up your own virtual food drive visit the OC Food Bank website here.

You can also get the latest updates from OC Food Bank on the organization’s Facebook page here

During this time of crisis, it is important that we all look out for our fellow community members. 

If you have any questions or need assistance connecting to other community resources, please contact my Senior Executive Assistant, Alli Binder at abinder@cityofirvine.org

See also: My up-to-date COVID-19 Resources and Information Page.