HOW TO HELP THE NEEDY GIVE THANKS

Orange County’s charities and religious organizations are hard at work collecting food for distribution to the needy on Thanksgiving. Monetary donations to help buy food for the needy are also being solicited.

An estimated 320,000 people in Orange County go to bed hungry at least once a month because they cannot afford to eat, according to Dan Harney, executive director of the Food Distribution Center in Orange.

Here is a list of the various organizations that accept donations and will distribute them to the area’s poor on or before the holiday as well as those sponsoring free Thanksgiving meals:

INDEPENDENT GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS: Holiday Hope County Health Care Agency-Volunteer Services 1440 E. 1st St., Suite 305 Santa Ana, Calif. 92701 (714) 568-4422 or 568-4427 Canned goods, rice, powdered milk and other non-perishable foods are requested. The agency will distribute the collected food at 20 clinics throughout the county on Wednesday. Volunteers, especially those who speak Spanish, are also needed to help in the distribution. Friends in Service to Humanity (FISH) (Address not available, only phone calls accepted) (714) 642-6060 The volunteer Christian organization provides assistance to residents of Costa Mesa, Irvine and Newport Beach living at or below the poverty level. Thanksgiving baskets will be delivered Tuesday to about 160 families. Powdered milk, non-perishable foods, staples, canned goods and monetary donations are requested. People wishing to donate turkeys are asked to contact the agency by Monday. Orange County Rescue Mission 1901 W. Walnut St. Santa Ana, Calif. 92703 (714) 835-0499 The mission will deliver about 450 food boxes, including turkeys, to needy families throughout the county Wednesday. Donations of turkeys, canned goods, stuffing, instant mashed potatoes, rice, beans and other non-perishable food are requested. Delhi Community Center 542 E. Central Ave. Santa Ana, Calif. 92707 (714) 549-1317 The agency hopes to provide about 300 food baskets complete with turkeys to needy families in the Santa Ana area. Donations of canned foods, staples, fruit, clothing and money are requested by Tuesday for distribution for Thanksgiving. Catholic Charities Catholic Community Agencies 2829 W. 1st St. Santa Ana, Calif. 92703 (714) 543-3924 Donations of staples, including peanut butter, tuna, cereal, macaroni, spaghetti, powdered milk, and shortening; soups, and fresh fruit and vegetables are requested. About 160 special Thanksgiving baskets will be distributed throughout the county Tuesday and Wednesday. Monetary donations are also requested. FOOD DISTRIBUTION CENTER MEMBERS, SERVING ORANGE COUNTY: Episcopal Service Alliance 28892 Marguerite Parkway, Suite 260 Mission Viejo, Calif. 92692 (714) 364-2895 The agency will provide Thanksgiving food baskets to about 800 families throughout Orange County. The group prefers monetary donations for turkeys, as well as donations of canned goods, fresh fruit, makings for desserts, stuffing and potatoes. Food donations for the holiday dinners at the organization’s two shelters are also requested. If interested in making a donation, please contact the alliance office above or any of the following: St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 311 W. South St., Anaheim, (714) 776-7510; Anchor House for Families, 150 W. Avenida Pico, San Clemente, (714) 492-8211; Episcopal Service Alliance in Huntington Beach, 525 Main St., Huntington Beach, (714) 960-2254; Episcopal Church of the Messiah, 614 N. Bush St., Santa Ana, (714) 952-9170, or Martha House for Women, 275 S. Glassell St., Orange, (714) 639-5323. Lutheran Social Services 12432 Ninth St., Garden Grove (714) 534-6450 The organization will provide about 200 Orange County families with holiday food baskets during Thanksgiving week. Donations of grocery store gift certificates to be used for the purchase of turkeys, canned goods, staples and traditional Thanksgiving fare are requested. Donations can be taken to the above address or to the Lutheran Social Services office in Fullerton, 215 Lemon St., (714) 738-1058. Brother Michael’s Christian Mission 233 Flower St. Costa Mesa, Calif. 92627 (714) 548-3491 Turkeys, chickens, staples, canned goods and any other food or monetary donations are requested. Food is distributed to the county’s needy at 8:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday, including Thanksgiving, at the South Coast Christian Church, 792 Victoria Ave., Costa Mesa. Southern California Indian Center 12755 Brookhurst St. Garden Grove, Calif. 92640 (714) 530-0221 The center requests donations of turkeys, fresh fruit, pumpkins, stuffing, cranberries, corn and “every other kind of Thanksgiving-type food imaginable.” About 25 baskets will be distributed to large families and those most in need Tuesday and Wednesday. Salvation Army 818 E. 3rd St. Santa Ana, Calif. 92701 (714) 546-7880 The Santa Ana branch will provide food baskets for 50 to 75 residents of that city. Donations of staples, including tuna, canned fruit and vegetables, soups, boxed macaroni and cheese, canned milk and peanut butter are requested. CATHOLIC CHURCHES: St. Anne’s Catholic Church--Social Justice Committee 109 W. Borchard St. Santa Ana, Calif. 92707 (714) 542-8200 Donations of beans, rice, canned goods, peanut butter and other staples are requested. People can bring their donations to the parish rectory between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily. Organizers hope to provide 100 families within the parish boundaries with holiday food baskets. St. Boniface Catholic Church Harbor Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue Anaheim, Calif. 92805 (714) 956-3110 Donations of non-perishable foods and canned goods from parishioners during a special Thanksgiving Mass will be distributed to needy families in the parish. St. Columban’s Catholic Church 10801 Stanford Ave. Garden Grove, Calif. 92640 (714) 534-1174 Donations of canned goods, rice, beans and other staples will be distributed to more than 150 needy families within the parish’s boundaries in the three days before Thanksgiving. St. Joachim Catholic Church 1964 Orange Ave. Costa Mesa, Calif. 92627 (714) 646-0234 Donations of staples and canned goods for Thanksgiving will be given to two local charity organizations--Share Our Selves and Friends in Service to Humanity--for distribution to needy families. St. John the Baptist Catholic Church 1015 Baker St. Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626 (714) 540-2214 Donations of non-perishable foods and canned goods from parishioners during a special Thanksgiving Day Mass will be distributed through Share Our Selves. St. Mary’s Catholic Church 400 W. Commonwealth Ave. Fullerton, Calif. 92632 (714) 525-2500 The parish is working with parishioners from St. Juliana’s Catholic Church, 1316 N. Acacia Ave., Fullerton, in collecting canned goods and other non-perishable foods for Thanksgiving baskets. The baskets will be distributed Wednesday to needy families within both parishes’ boundaries. THANKSGIVING MEALS FOR THE NEEDY: Orange County Rescue Mission 1901 W. Walnut St. Santa Ana, Calif. 92703 (714) 835-0499 About 3,000 poor and needy people from all over Orange County are expected for a free meal at the above address from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Donations of turkeys, canned goods, rice and other traditional Thanksgiving foods are requested. Salvation Army 201 E. Cypress St. Anaheim, Calif. 92805 (714) 778-5460 About 250 people are expected at a free meal sponsored by the Salvation Army from 1 to 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving at St. Justin Martyr’s Catholic Church, 2050 W. Ball Road, Anaheim. Cash and food donations are needed. Shelter for the Homeless (Address not available, only phone calls accepted) (714) 897-3221 The shelter is sponsoring a free Thanksgiving meal for the homeless and anyone else who wishes to spend the holiday with others at Westminster Mall, in the new food court on the upper level next to Sears. About 300 to 400 people are expected to attend the meal, which begins at noon and continues to 2 p.m. Any food donations will be appreciated. Those wishing to donate a turkey may contact Jim Miller, shelter director, at the above telephone number. Southwest Community Center 1601 W. 2nd St. Santa Ana, Calif. 92703 (714) 543-8933 Donations of turkeys, canned foods, paper plates and napkins are needed for a free Thanksgiving meal for about 500 retired, homeless and handicapped people at the above address. Volunteers are also needed to help serve the meal, to be held from noon to 4 p.m. St. Joseph’s Catholic Church 727 Minter St. Santa Ana, Calif. 92701 (714) 542-4411 Donations of all types of traditional fare are requested for free meals to be served from 10:30 a.m. to noon Thanksgiving in the St. Joseph’s Catholic School auditorium, 608 Civic Center Drive East, where 300 of the area’s poor are expected. Source: Individual organizations