The City of Irvine Charity Directory is designed to inform and educate those interested in making contributions to charitable organizations that assist Irvine residents and surrounding areas. There are many ways in which to support worthwhile causes in the City. Whether it is in the form of monetary donations, or a small bit of your time each week, we hope the information provided will help you discover the opportunities you are seeking.
If you would like to suggest the addition of a non-profit public service provider not listed in this section, please contact Gina Park at 949-724-6424 or gpark@cityofirvine.org
The Foundation provides quality care, education, prevention, and advocacy services to men, women and children in Orange County affected by HIV. ASF offers comprehensive prevention, intervention and education programs. The prevention programs advocate healthy lifestyles by educating participants about risk factors and misperceptions about HIV. The intervention programs promote early detection and offer counseling to help clients manage the disease. The education programs are intended to improve the lives of those already affected by HIV and prevent the disease from spreading further.
The American Heart Association is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to reduce disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
California Heart Connection is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization which provides much needed support and information to those born with heart defects. Congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defect, affecting approximately 40,000 babies in the U.S. each year. Structural heart defects vary dramatically from acquired heart disease, often requiring different medical treatments and presenting unique issues to children and adults affected. California Heart Connection offers free services such as an online support group, events where families can meet, matching of those with similar diagnoses, and downloadable resources, handouts and forms on our website. Our picnic for those with congenital heart defects is held annually in July in Irvine. We are run solely by volunteers and are supported through tax deductible donations.
To enhance the quality of life for people with Down Syndrome and their families through development and financial support of educational, social and support programs. To promote Down Syndrome awareness and acceptance.
The urgent mission of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, Inc. is to drive the research that will provide prevention, treatments and cures for the over nine million Americans affected by retinitis pegmentosa,macular degeneration, Usher syndrome and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases.
The Kids Who Care Foundation (KWCF), a volunteer based foundation was founded by a 7 year old in 2004 with the help of her family, to help bring joy to kids with chronic medical conditions and helps families stay connected after her auto islet cell transplant. In the last two years KWCF with the help of our community volunteers as little as 4 years old, we have sent out over 165 card quilts (equal to over 4000 cards) to cheer up kids in hospitals all across the country and internationally! KWCF has been on ABC, NBC, U.S.Embassy of India's website & magazine, including 14 other newspaper! The Kids Who Care Foundation (KWCF) is a non-profit organization ( 501c3) and is solely dependent on volunteers and contributions from businesses, individuals and foundations within our community. It is a great organization where kids, teens, adults and seniors can help bring a smile and get their community service hours! All KWCF services are free to the kids and families we serve.
Provide services designed to help individuals maintain their mobility and independence enabling them to remain in their own home as long as possible, and to preserve and enhance their quality of life.
Irvine Community Drug Prevention c/o IUSD Guidance Resources 5050 Barranca Parkway Irvine CA 92604 Telephone: 949-559-8710 Website:http://www.icdp.org/
The Irvine Community Drug Prevention is a Community based, non-profit organization involved in activities to educate the community about negative effects of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. We work closely with the school district, PTA and city government, coordinating Red Ribbon Week and Pennies for Prevention. Sponsors, Parent Edu., Youth Conferences, Dances, and supports Grad Nites and youth Action Team Events. We are non-profit therefore funding is provided through grants and donations.
The Irvine Prevention Coalition is an umbrella organization for agencies that offer programs designed for children and families in Irvine. The coalition itself serves as the vehicle for communication, collaboration, and action in Irvine. Through this partnership, we have been able to create an environment where service providers work together to meet the needs of the community. This matters in all aspects of prevention, and is very important when it comes to serving those in need of support.
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 2020 East First St, Ste. 120 Santa Ana, CA 92705 Telephone: 714-881-0610 Website:http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org
The Society's mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Since its founding in 1949, the Society has provided more than $320 million for research specifically targeting blood cancers
Lupus International’s primary purpose is to eradicate lupus by supporting research, alleviate lupus suffering through patient services and early detection through awareness promotion.
The goal of the National MS Society is to end the devastating effects of MS by providing monies for research and programs and services for clients and their families.
The Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF) was established in 1982 to improve the care, quality of life and survival rate of children with malignant diseases. PCRF is an independent, nonprofit organization located in Irvine, California, governed by a volunteer 24-member Board of Directors. Since 1982 PCRF's dedicated volunteers have raised over $22 million for pediatric cancer research. This year the Foundation currently funds over $1.2 million in research being conducted at the PCRF Laboratory at Children's Hospital of New York, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, Children's Hospital of Orange County, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA and City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California. The Foundation is supported by donations from individuals, charitable foundations, businesses and through special events, projects and PCRF holiday card sales. A dedicated group of volunteers donate their time and talents to ensure that over 80% of funds raised go directly to research.
United Cerebral Palsy of O.C. 230 Commerce, Ste. 190 Irvine CA 92602 Telephone: 714-200-2600 Contact: Ms. Kathleen McFarlin, Director of Family Support Services Website:http://www.ucp-oc.org/ Founded in 1953, United Cerebral Palsy serves children with all types of developmental disabilities and provides vital support to families. Each year more than 2,500 children and families receive services in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
The American Red Cross has been the nation's premier emergency response organization. As part of a worldwide movement that offers neutral humanitarian care to the victims of war, the American Red Cross distinguished itself by also aiding victims of devastating natural disasters. Over the years, the organization has expanded its services, always with the aim of preventing and relieving suffering.
Provide clothing to Irvine children in need. Referrals will come primarily from IPC partners. A non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to providing programs and services that will enrich and improve the quality of life in our community.
The Mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical choices over their lifetime by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. To support Boy Scouts of America, visit www.give2bsa.org.
Community Service Program (CSP) 1821 E. Dyer Rd., Ste. 120 Santa Ana, CA 92705 Telephone: 949-250-0488 Website: www.cspinc.org
CSP Youth Shelter is an emergency crisis intervention program for Irvine homeless, runaway and at-risk youth ages 11-17. Services provided for clients include 24-hour supervision, education, meals, recreational activities and counseling services to at-risk youth and their family members.
Under the direction of a volunteer board of directors and with a paid staff of 14, the agency works to fulfill a mission of protecting the quality of life in Orange County by ensuring equal access to housing opportunities, fostering diversity and preserving dignity and human rights.
Family Solutions provides homes for abused and neglected children in Orange County. Their mission is to turn disadvantaged children into advantaged adults.
Families Forward is an Irvine-based nonprofit organization that assists homeless and low-income families. Our mission is to help families in need achieve and maintain self-sufficiency through housing, counseling, education and other support services. Founded in 1984 by a dedicated group of community members, Families Forward began with only five apartment units and one part-time counselor. Since then, we have grown to include fourteen homes, a food pantry, program and career counseling, and life skills training.
Friends of Outreach Lakeview Senior Center 20 Lake Rd. Irvine, CA 92604 Contact: Jan Owens, President Telephone: 949-651-1829
Friends of Outreach is a non-profit, all volunteer, community-based organization that helps support the City of Irvine Outreach Programs for seniors through fund raising efforts and service projects such as Friendship Corner, Low Vision Support Group, Tuesday Bingo, Senior Crafters, Repairs of Medical Equipment, and other special needs identified by the Outreach staff team. This organization has been successful in its fundraising efforts which help support the Special Needs Fund and the Keen Center for Senior Resources. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation or want to know more about the organization, please call (949) 651-1829 and leave a message for Jan Owens, President.
Girl Scouting is a continuous adventure in learning that offers every girl a broad range of activities—field trips, cultural exchanges, community service, leadership opportunities, skill-building workshops, outdoor education—to address her current interests and her future role as a successful woman. Through the guidance of trained leaders who provide encouragement, friendship, advice and resources, Girl Scouting helps each girl learn to set and reach goals, develop leadership skills, form lifelong habits for community service work and reach her fullest potential through personal growth and career exploration.
Goodwill Industries of Orange County provides people with disabilities and other barriers to employment the opportunity to achieve their highest levels of personal and economic independence through its education, training and employment services. Additional information about Goodwill Industries of Orange County is available on the World Wide Web at www.ocgoodwill.org.
HomeAid Orange County was established by the Building Industry Association of Southern California to build & renovate shelters for the temporarily homeless, with the goal of adding to the number of shelter beds in Orange County
Human Options' mission is to help battered women, their families and our community break the cycle of domestic violence. Human Options provides: safety for women and their children, long-term support to rebuild lives and education to create a safe community
The Irvine Child Care Project (ICCP) was established through a joint powers agreement between the City of Irvine and the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) in 1984. Under the direction of the ICCP, modular facilities have been placed on Irvine elementary school sites to provide before and after school childcare for children in grades kindergarten through sixth. The ICCP selects and monitors the non-profit childcare providers who operate the individual programs.
Irvine Children's Fund 14301 Yale Ave. Irvine, CA 92604 Telephone: 949-786-6454
The Irvine Children's Fund assists the community by funding scholarships to working, low-income families for before and after school child care. The organization sponsors the Irvine Junior Games and provides an athletic venue for the children of the City of Irvine.
The Irvine Community Alliance Fund (ICAF) is a non-profit organization created to support the programs and services offered through the City of Irvine Community Services Department.ICAF was created to link individuals, organizations and businesses desiring to raise funds for programs and services offered through the Department. ICAF welcomes grant funding, as well as corporate and individual donations.
Intervention Center for Early Childhood (ICEC) 16265 Laguna Canyon Rd. Irvine, CA 92618 Telephone: 949-788-9236 Fax: 949-788-9246 www.iceckids.org
ICEC serves over 750 special needs children and their families on an annual basis. Our mission is to assist each developmentally delayed child in achieving optimum developmental potential. This is accomplished by providing global therapy and intervention designed for each child's abilities, while offering emotional support and training to the entire family.
Jewish Family Services provides programs include counseling, support groups, information and assistance, older adult services, refugee resettlement, volunteer opportunities, a free loan program and a healing center.
Jewish Federation provides programming and supports a range of educational and human services through its Community Partners (BBYO, the Bureau of Jewish Education, Hebrew Academy, Hillel, Jewish Family Service, the Merage JCC, Morasha Jewish Day School and Tarbut V'Torah Community Day School). Volunteer activities include Reading Partners, a program sending volunteers into K-3 public school classrooms to increase the English literacy of at-risk youth.
Irvine, CA 92604 Tel: 714-322-8882 Kiwanis is a group of men and women who are passionate about serving the youth and children and making our community a better place to live in. The Kiwanis are a part of a worldwide service organization - with more than 500,000 members in 80 countries.
Laura's House is a non-profit organization, that prevents and reduces the incidence of domestic and family violence through shelter and support programs, education and outreach.
The Foundation grants wishes to children (2 1/2-18) with life- threatening illnesses to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
Olive Crest 2130 E. Fourth St., Ste. 200 Santa Ana CA 92705 Telephone: 714-543-5437 Website:http://www.olivecrest.org
Olive Crest is dedicated to preventing child abuse, to treating and education at-risk children and to preserving the family.We are a center providing homes and services for abused children.
OCCHC is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help large families with little housing choice avoid poverty-like conditions through the provision of decent housing at an affordable price. Its founding in 1977 was based on the principle that our low-wage families deserve safe housing and safe neighborhoods so that their children would have the same education benefits as those from more affluent neighborhoods.
Orange County United Way focuses on what matters...the lives we change and the communities we shape. We bring the right people together to leverage all available resources and dollars to create a positive community impact. We are involved in fund raising to support health and human service providers in Orange County.
The Orange County Rescue Mission is committed to helping you assist the poor in the most cost-effective way possible. That's why we take extra care to use every penny efficiently.
Project Independence promotes the community integration of adults with developmental disabilities and to create services which expand their opportunities for personal freedom and choice.
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. In more than 160 countries worldwide, approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 30,000 Rotary clubs.
The main objective of Rotary is service — in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world. Rotarians develop community service projects that address many of today's most critical issues, such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, illiteracy, and violence. They also support programs for youth, educational opportunities and international exchanges for students, teachers, and other professionals, and vocational and career development. The Rotary motto is Service Above Self.
Saddleback Community Outreach provides emergency assistance to persons facing a crisis situation. The organization also offers services which include the provision of food, homeless intervention, utility assistance, transitional housing, and counseling/life-skills training.
Provides emergency and transitional assistance food and shelters, alcohol and drug rehabilitation services, employment preparation and placement services and youth recreation and development programs.
SANAD Foundation P.O. BOX 54970 Irvine, CA 92619-4970 www.sanadfoundation.org Telephone: 949-394-5955
The Sudanese American National Affairs and Development Foundation (SANAD) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) broad-based community initiative dedicated to ýenhancing the quality of life of Sudanese American children and families.ý Our mission is to assist men, women, and families of Sudanese heritage overcome cultural and language barriers, and to motivate and inspire them to be educated, enlightened, and better functioning citizens through counseling and ESL classes. Additional goals include: 1) to strengthen the family ties and community spirit and to introduce community programs to bridge the gap and enhance the relationships between parents and their children in a family, and those of families in the community; 2) to sponsor, organize and carry out cultural and educational events in order to preserve Sudanese cultural values; 3) to assist immigrants, refugees and displaced individuals of Sudanese heritage with translation, counseling, and other issues in the resettlement process; 4) to provide emotional as well as financial assistance to Sudanese families in the absence of the head of a household due to death, medical or otherwise reasons; 5) to advocate cultural exchange, to promote education at all levels; and 6) to cooperate with charitable and other organizations involved in community services.
Solicits and coordinates funding efforts and volunteers to supply food, education and advocacy for the hungry through non-profit partners and direct feeding programs.
Assists low-income and homeless people with financial assistance for housing costs and, through a network of comprehensive support services, enable them to become self-sufficient and no longer dependent on public support.
STOP-GAP is a non-profit 501(c)(3) theatre company whose mission is to use drama as a therapeutic and educational tool to improve individual lives.
During our 28 years of community service, more than 500,000 children and adults have participated in STOP-GAP’s programs. In addition to reaching 40,000 children each year through our educational classroom presentations for students, we provide 500 drama therapy workshops each year to specific populations such as abused children, parenting teens, homeless youth, children suffering from life threatening illnesses, battered women, adults in recovery from substance abuse and the elderly.All of STOP-GAP’s programs are designed to empower individuals of all ages to create positive change in their lives.
Sutton Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Anaheim, California that provides adults with developmental and other disabilities the ability to learn daily living skills, use neighborhood services, and enjoy a family atmosphere. Since 1977, well over 30 years since its beginning, our company has evolved to meet the challenging needs of individuals that can not help themselves. We help both men and women ages 18 to 59 that are identified as having a need for long-term care placement and/or behavioral modification as identified by the Regional Center of Orange County.
Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundations is an international charity organization founded by Dharma Master Cheng Yen in 1966.Stemming from its headquarter in Taiwan, Tzu Chi’s operations have extended to North and South America, Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania. Currently, there are over 5,000,000 members around the world.Taiwan Buddhist Foundation USA is the largest oversea Tzu Chi chapter. As of 1999, there are 62 offices and over 61,000 members throughout the U.S. Chapter.Tzu Chi members follow the footsteps of the founder, Dharma Master Cheng Yen, by providing assistance to the needy regardless of race or religion. Our volunteers provide services in eight major fields: charity, medical care, education, culture, bone marrow donor program, international relief, environmental protection and community service.
Team Kids is a non-profit organization devoted to providing school-based and community-wide service learning programs for children and young adults. Honored as one of the best service-learning programs on the West Coast at the 2005 National Service Learning Conference, Team Kids implements programs to help raise the self-esteem and confidence in young people, while empowering them to serve as advocates to help others.
THINK Together 2001 E. Fourth Ste. 200 Santa Ana, CA 92705 Telephone:714-543-3807
THINK Together provides tutoring and mentoring programs, with a focus on academic and literacy achievement, for the most at-risk youth of Orange County.
Assists non-profits, public, and community organizations by linking them with volunteer manpower resources and provide education, professional development and information resources. The Board Connection Program Trains and links, via a personal coach, individuals interested in leadership positions on nonprofit board of directors. Affords companies an opportunity to link to the community and provides their employees with leadership training. Provides nonprofits with educational opportunities for board development, recruiting and orienting.
Women Helping Woman assists women in their transition to self sufficiency by providing a "Professional Clothes Closet" aimed at supplying suitable clothes so they can dress appropriately for job interviews and employment as they seek to enter or re-enter the workforce. Clients include victims of domestic violence, homeless, refugees, parolees and "working poor."
Working Wardrobes is a nonprofit, nonsectarian organization dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence and adults in crisis on their way economic stability. This is done through a year-round series of Life Skills workshops on career development, resume writing, interviewing techniques, image enhancement, and special self-esteem events.
Young Ladies with Potential P.O. Box 15505 Irvine, CA 92606 Telephone: 949-474-0623 Website: www.ylwponline.org
Young Ladies with Potential is a not-for-profit organization that provides guidance, assistance, and training to teenage girls between the ages of 13-19 years. YLWP consists of business professionals, advisors and volunteers that have dedicated their lives to counsel, support, and motivate young ladies who have difficulties adapting to womanhood, and making career or life altering decisions. Drawing upon differences. YLWP tries to eliminate discrimination and promote democratic leadership by way of participation for all. YLWP's main objective is to transform the young ladies you see today into prosperous women of tomorrow.
Arts & Learning Conservatory seeks to make opportunities for the arts, including school theatre arts and summer camp programs, available to all children. Scholarship and volunteer opportunities are available.
The Concordia University Foundation is an exempt organization created for the benefit of Concordia University with the purpose of soliciting, receiving, and distributing funds to and for the use of Concordia University.
The International Academy of Irvine is the leading bilingual immersion (French/English or Spanish/English) International school in Southern California. The Academy offers the world-renowned French early childhood program at its preschool and the rigorous French and Spanish curriculum, with the openness of the American curriculum in its 1st through 12th grades. In a morally and ethically grounded spirit of higher education, the Academy prepares its students to access the most demanding universities in the United States and Europe.
Irvine Public Schools Foundation's (IPSF) mission is to provide community and corporate funding in support of public education and to manage educational and child development programs within the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD).
The Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF) believes that effective community support is needed to provide the best educational opportunities for our children. When you make an investment through IPSF, you're making a statement. That you won't settle for mediocre education in your community. That your children deserve the best.
By working with individuals, community groups and corporations, IPSF ensures that the quality of education your children enjoy is comparable to the finest private schools in the country, and at a cost that's a fraction of private school tuition.
Latin and Ballroom Dance Association, also known as Danse L'Affaire, provides training and a practice environment for the forms of social and competitive ballroom dance recognized by the Dancesport Organizations and by the International Olympic Committee. Our mission is to not only produce the highest quality of social and competitive dancers possible, but to also create an environment for members that is conducive to scholarly appreciation of the dances as an art form, as well as personal growth and physical exercise. The organization organizes regular social events for its members. As part of our efforts to generate awareness of and interest in social competitive ballroom dancing, we may sponsor dances, book performances and attend public dances.
Now in our 30th year, the Bureau’s goal is to provide a safe place to explore and experience being Jewish through our educational programs for Jewish youth and adults in OrangeCounty. Our programs include: Adat Noar, TALIT, ACL, Community Shabbatonim, TIES, Foundations and Dinner with a Scholar.
Project Tomorrow is a business and education nonprofit collaborative dedicated to enhancing K-12 science education in Orange County, California schools
UCI Foundation 555 Aldrich Hall Irvine, CA 92697-5600 Telephone: 949-824-7915
The UCI Foundation was formed for the purpose of encouraging voluntary private gifts, trusts and bequests for the benefit of the University of California, Irvine.The foundation provides financial support for various University schools and programs, including research grants, student scholarships, instructional support, equipment purchases, capital improvements and education.
Environment and Animals
Irvine Animal Care Center 6443 Oak Cyn. Irvine, CA 92618 (949) 724-7740 Website: www.irvineshelter.org
Cares for over 4,000 homeless animals annually and provides pet adoption services.
Nature Reserve of Orange County 15600 Sand Canyon Ave. Irvine, CA 92618 Telephone: 949-453-3324 Website: http://www.naturereserveoc.org
To work with public agencies, preservation-oriented organizations, property owners and the interested public to encourage preservation, enhancement and restoration of natural resources within the reserve and to preserve, protect, and enhance the environmental, natural, wildlife habitat, and recreational values of such lands
Orange County Animal Rescue Coalition P.O. Box 19393 Irvine, CA 92623 Telephone:949-451-3272 Website: www.oc-arc.com Rescue animals in need, reduce pet overpopulation and provide pet adoption services
The goals of the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary is to promote public awareness and understanding of marsh environment ecology, provide opportunities for on-site education in regard to marsh environments and assist in preservation of the San Joaquin Marsh environment.
The Africa Project was inspired by the stunning 2003 BBC Documentary by Brian Woods and Deborah Shipley called The Orphans of Nkandla that looks at children who are orphaned because of AIDS. The heart-breaking and disturbing story of these children was so moving for a group of citizens in the California community of Irvine that they decided to do something immediately to help. They formed The Africa Project driven by the belief that despite the unprecedented scale of this tragedy, even the smallest steps to help these children would count.
Recognizing the need to foster goodwill and understanding between its citizens and people of other nations, the City of Irvine has established a partnership with the Irvine Sister Cities Foundation to create an international program, reaching out to all segments of Irvine's diverse community. The Irvine Sister Cities Foundation, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1989 to assess, plan and implement programs that fulfill the City's opportunities and commitments involving affiliated cities in other countries. The Foundation also serves the community by responding to initiatives and communications directed to the City of Irvine from a variety of governmental and private agencies and organizations abroad.
Irvine MultiCultural Association 20 Lake Rd. Irvine, CA 92604 Telephone: 949-797-1234 Website: www.irvinemulticultural.org
The Irvine Multicultural Association is a non-political, non-religious, non-sectarian, secular and social group formed and supported by volunteers in the city of Irvine whose mission is to promote cultural harmony in the community. The association’s purpose is to nurture and promote cross-cultural communication, education, appreciation, and understanding in the community.
