Category Archives: Working Poor

You Are Special Fundraiser/Food Bank in Orange CA

ceramic piggy bank

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Many of you are familiar with YAS and even serve in some capacity as a volunteer. The economic downturn has left many public agencies unable to meet the demands of those facing hunger in our local community.  As many as 456,000 people go hungry every month in Orange County alone.  Sadly, food banks are no longer able to support the need as before, and donations are harder to come by.  In spite of this, we thankfully continue to meet the needs of hundreds of people per month.

Currently, we receive food donations from businesses like Ralphs, Pacific Ranch and Albertsons to name a few.  Additionally, Your Are Special is able to purchase a substantial amount of food at a discounted price.  Still, with the growing number of people that come to us, we need to increase the amount of food we currently distribute. By paying just a few more hundred dollars a month increasing our budget slightly, we would be able to increase our food supply substantially.  However, as a non-profit organization, our budget is dependent on donations and fundraisers.  To that end, we are beginning a campaign entitled “Change for Change” which we hope will bring more awareness to the problem of hunger in our local community and, at the same time, help us raise funds to purchase more food to distribute.

Essentially, the “Change for Change” program will encompass selling empty cans made to look like cans of tomato soup.  The cans (which are actually “piggy banks”) would allow people to collect their pocket change and then, in turn, donate the change to You Are Special.

To begin, we must purchase the “piggy bank” cans.  To do this, we are sponsoring a fundraiser at the Souplantation restaurant in Tustin.  Souplantation will donate to You Are Special, a percentage of every person’s purchase.[1]  To participate, we invite you to print a copy of the attached flyer (1 per party), and bring your family, friends, employees and co-workers to dine at the Souplantation to help us raise funds for the programs described above.

Location:   13681 Newport Ave., Tustin, CA (corner of Newport Blvd. & Main)

Date:         Thursday, October 27, 2011

Time:         5pm to 8pm

Or donate here

We thank you in advance for your participation.  If you have any questions, or would like more information about You Are Special, I would be more than happy to speak with you personally.

Michelle Hensley

Executive Director

714-863-6058

FunRaiserFlyer

[1]  In order for You Are Special to receive credit, all guests at time of purchase must (a) order a beverage at time of purchase, (b) pay without using coupons or discounts, (c) present the attached flyer (1 per party), and (d) surrender their receipt in order for the percentage credit to be calculated.

Are other countries not battling the food insecurit and economic crisis we are?

Food for Life distributes food on an internati...

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Gallup pole for Chinese struggling less than Americans

This was quite interesting because we have the ability to help those in need but a lot of people don’t know how to do that.

We as a community of people in the city of Orange realize we have an obligation to help those in need in our local neighborhood also abroad but there is now a tremendous need right where many of us live. We don’t question the why there is the need but to fill it.

That is why You Are Special exists. To provide a local food pantry/food bank to those in our community.

We are focusing on the problem of giving food out to families, working poor, elderly and now youth. Some come from the local colleges to get food because they don’t make enough money to purchase their food. When people eat then our goal is met.

Buy a bowl, eat soup and help Food Bank | HeraldTribune.com

SAN DIEGO (Dec. 19, 2007) U.S. Naval Academy m...

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Buy a bowl, eat soup and help Food Bank | HeraldTribune.com.

This is such a great idea for a local food pantry to raise money for hunger awareness. Today at our food bank in Orange, the line was probably the largest we have had so far this year. We don’t charge anyone for anything. We have food costs as an agency. Our desire is to help people. I read this the other day, “we think people,” although that is awesome, we at You Are Special “think Christ, who helps us think people”.

Life Inc. – Good Graph Friday: Who’s going hungry

Life Inc. – Good Graph Friday: Who’s going hungry.

As a food bank in Orange County, we are seeing another growth spurt in the need for food. Many come from all walks of life. Many elderly, youth that are homeless and families are in need of food. We appreciate all those who contribute to our program because it helps tremendously.

Thank you to Warne Family Foundation and Kingdom of Love from the You Are Special food pantry/food bank

Hello Sara and Greg,

We just want to say thanks for the generosity you have shown with giving YAS the ability to purchase this walk in cooler for our food bank/food pantry in Orange, Ca. Every week we are getting more requests for food and before we had our cooler, it was difficult to collect as much food as we could and put it different places ever week. You have no idea how grateful we really are.

Elderly, newly unemployed put more strain of food banks – AltoonaMirror.com – Altoona, PA | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information – The Altoona Mirror

North And Orange County, California

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Elderly, newly unemployed put more strain of food banks – AltoonaMirror.com – Altoona, PA | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information – The Altoona Mirror.

We are finding at our food bank in Orange County, that many elderly are coming more now than ever. They are on a fixed income and this is a huge blessing that we can help them in some way.

Second Harvest says, “For seniors, fixed incomes and limited mobility may lead to chronically poor nutrition. And poor diet can compound many health problems, including diabetes and hypertension.  According to the Elder Economic Security Index, which figures in housing, food, transportation and health care, more than 15% of Orange County seniors don’t have enough money for adequate food.  Even with incomes above the Federal poverty level ($10,400 for a single person, $14,000 for a couple), seniors coping with high housing costs and rising medical costs simply can’t afford nutritious food. Seniors at FeedOC

Local food bank seeks out of state help | medford, ore, bank – Medford News – KTVL.com

Thanksgiving in Wasilla 2008 - 014

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Local food bank seeks out of state help | medford, ore, bank – Medford News – KTVL.com.

MEDFORD, Ore. – ACESS is partnering with California food banks to bring much needed food to Jackson County.

ACCESS distributes to pantries all over the area and employees say they are barely hanging on. Program manager Philip Yates says a record number of families are asking for food this year and the organization is struggling to keep up.

Meanwhile, local pantries are barely getting by. The Salvation Army almost closed its doors for the first time last week because it was out of supplies. Luckily, ACCESS was able to scrounge up emergency food to keep it open.

“We need to look for other resources, but we don’t know if they are going to pan out or not,” Yates said.

YAS food bank/community outreach Thank you to WD Foundation

We just want to say thank you to those that help the YAS foodbank/community outreach. We would not be able to feed the over 70,000 people per year without the help of our sponsors, donators and volunteers.

Thank you! (click here)

Thank you Rose for allowing us to partner with your organization, WD Foundation. The homeless, the working poor, elderly, children, unemployed and even the youth thank you.

Thank you Anaheim Ducks!

Ducks primary logo (2006–2009). This is the Du...

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Hello Ashley,

You and the Anaheim Ducks made the YAS team’s night thoroughly enjoyable. These volunteers work diligently to serve Orange and Orange County in the area of one our basic needs, food. They give of their time, money, love and compassion to serve those in need. We could not have blessed them the way you did by being so generous and allowing the volunteers to attend a game. Thank you very much!

For the Anaheim Ducks and Ashley

Back Home, and Homeless – NYTimes.com

Homeless man in New York 2008, Credit Crises. ...

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Back Home, and Homeless – NYTimes.com.

This is quite a story….a young, homeless vet. God bless him!