HomeAid Orange County | Los Angeles

HomeAid Essentials

HomeAid's Essentials Program was established in 2008 and provides exactly what the namesake says: essential items. In collaboration with our local community, HomeAid works to collect and distribute donations of critically needed items. Below are the programs that are a part of HomeAid Essentials. Diaper Drive: Beginning each year on Mother’s Day, we work with the community to collect donations of diapers, wipes, and baby food. On our Drive Thru Drop-Off day, many of our building industry partners create larger-than-life diaper structures for volunteers and donors to see while dropping off their donations. This substantial community event brings in an average of over 1 million essential items each year, all of which go back to families experiencing homelessness. Holiday Meal Drive: From October-November each year, HomeAid works with local groups, schools churches, and businesses to collect non-perishable foods. All donated food items are put into meal boxes that feed up to 4 people and are distributed to HomeAid housing projects so that everyone has food on the table for the holidays. CareKits: Assembled most often by corporate groups, CareKits are travel-sized bags filled with snacks, water, socks, sunscreen, a poncho (seasonally), and a 211 resource information card. These are handed out, both by volunteers and HomeAid staff, to people experiencing homelessness on Orange County’s streets. Donate online to support the creation of CareKits. HomeKits: These small to medium-sized move-in care packages are made by volunteers for the families who move on from our Family CareCenter to their next, more permanent housing option. You can make them and drop them off at our office, donate the items online here through our Amazon Wishlist and our staff will assemble them, or donate funds to support the creation of HomeKits.

HomeAid Housing

Since 1989, HomeAid Orange County has constructed 79 different housing projects for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Our unique model, rooted in in-kind donations of labor and materials, saves a significant amount of market-rate costs or more on each HomeAid construction project. Upon completion, ownership and operations of each project are passed onto qualified nonprofit service providers who provide human services to the individuals who live there. HomeAid-built housing projects include emergency shelters, bridge housing units, and affordable housing. Survivors of domestic violence, teen mothers, abused and abandoned children, veterans, people living with mental illness and/or HIV/AIDs, and families all call HomeAid housing projects their home.

HomeAid Cares

All volunteer events through our HomeAid Cares program give volunteers the opportunity to contribute to our housing projects in a meaningful and direct way. Through minor touch-ups of projects, landscaping work, cleaning facilities, and preparing food, our Cares program allows volunteers from all backgrounds to support HomeAid housing projects. Community CareDays happen Monday-Friday from 11 AM - 1 PM at our HomeAid Family CareCenter. During these volunteer days, volunteers do a deep clean of the CareCenter and put together sack lunches for the families. HomeAid CaresDays are hands-on volunteer workdays at our various HomeAid housing projects. On these days minor repairs and upgrades are made thanks to the help of our building industry partners. Tasks include painting, landscaping, cleaning, and small construction projects. Serving Dinner at our Family CareCenter occurs from 6-7:30 PM nightly. Volunteers help our on-site team with serving dinner to the families.