Contact:
Kelly Stephens/James MacGregor
Brower, Miller & Cole
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THE ORANGE COUNTY RESCUE MISSION IN DIRE NEED OF BASICS TO MAINTAIN FOOD DISTRIBUTION TO HOMELESS FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THE RECESSION

Orange County Rescue Mission in dire need of dry cereal, peanut butter, jelly and canned tuna to fill food boxes for homeless and impoverished families in our community

Orange County, Calif., July 27, 2009 – The Orange County Rescue Mission is experiencing a major shortage of key staples for the organization’s food boxes. Cereal, peanut butter, jelly and canned tuna provide an essential base for the food boxes the Orange County Rescue Mission provides to homeless and impoverished families throughout Orange County.

“In just six months, the Orange County Rescue Mission has distributed more than 84,100 meals to families in need of assistance in our community,” said Jim Palmer, President of the Orange County Rescue Mission. “The need is tremendous and as the recession deepens, the number of families coming to us for help to meet their basic needs continues to grow at an alarming rate. We need support from our friends and neighbors who can still donate to provide these desperately needed staples to help us maintain our food program and help those in the greatest need.”

The Orange County Rescue Mission provides meals to families living in motels, cars and on the streets, in addition to those seeking a better life at the Mission’s four facilities, including the Village of Hope, a state-of-the-art homeless facility in the city of Tustin, Calif. Of the 174 residents living at the Village of Hope, 57 are children under the age of 12.

“The face of homelessness in Orange County and around the country is not what people once perceived it to be,” added Palmer. “These are very difficult times in our country and the people who need our assistance now are often those who once donated their money and time to our organization. These are families with young children struggling to get back on their feet and we need the community to come together and donate what they can to help us provide basic essentials to our neighbors in need.”

With so many families in need of assistance, the Orange County Rescue Mission is also making a plea for donations of diapers, baby wipes and laundry detergent to help care for the most vulnerable homeless population, the children.

The Orange County Rescue Mission accepts donations at the Village of Hope warehouse Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

To make a donation, organize a food drive with your business, social group, neighborhood or church, or to inquire about volunteer opportunities, please contact the Village of Hope at (714) 247-4300 or log on to www.rescuemission.org.

About the Village of Hope
The Village of Hope at the former Tustin Marine Corps Air Station includes 192 beds, a child development center, playground, parent education center, vocational training classrooms, health care facility, donation warehouse, cafeteria with an outdoor dining center, and support offices. Residents here are considered “students” who participate in the Village of Hope’s two-year comprehensive program to overcome their personal obstacles and succeed in daily life, while keeping their families intact.

About the Orange County Rescue Mission
The Orange County Rescue Mission is a non-profit organization that uses Biblical principles in its programs such as relationships, finance, and parenting. The Orange