On April 28, the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) will host Help Them Home – a collaborative Giving Day aiming to raise $1 million for 20 OC nonprofits working to combat homelessness and its devastating impact on our community. As the wide-ranging fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disproportionately impact our community’s most vulnerable individuals and families, this 24-hour fundraising opportunity comes at a crucial time.
There are an estimated 552,830 homeless individuals in the U.S.– 47% of whom reside in California. And locally, according to United to End Homelessness, there are nearly 7,000 homeless individuals – including more than 300 veterans and almost 700 seniors – in Orange County on any given night. According to the coroner’s office, more homeless people died in Orange County in 2020 than any other year.