OCCF hosts third annual Giving Day for OC veterans and military families

On May 20, the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF), based in Newport Beach, will host the third annual Stand and Salute, a Giving Day to honor OC veterans and military families. This 24-hour online effort aims to raise $90,000 in critical funds for seven local organizations. Last year, the Stand and Salute Giving Day effort raised $90,444 from more than 241 donors.

“Now more than ever, we strive to assist vulnerable communities, such as our local military veterans and their families,” said Shelley Hoss, president and CEO, OCCF. “As COVID-19 continues to impact the globe, we’re calling on our generous community to come together in support of the many veterans and their families facing economic insecurity and other challenges from this pandemic.”

Orange County’s veteran population – the third highest in the state of California – is made up of about 130,000 military veterans, many of whom face major obstacles when transitioning to civilian life. With the new economic challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, veterans are put at an increasing risk of job loss and financial insecurity.

According to a new study by the researchers from the Economic Roundtable, 87 percent of positions in Orange County are in industries deemed “non-essential,” putting Southern Californians’ jobs in limbo due to stay-at-home mandates. A full one in seven Californians are now out of work due to coronavirus.

In times of economic and emotional uncertainty, many veterans and their families seek assistance from local nonprofits. Collectively, the organizations participating in this year’s Stand and Salute Giving Day provide an array of services to support veterans, including financial assistance, employment, healthcare and housing support, mental health support, mentorship, counseling and much more.

The seven nonprofits participating in the 2020 Stand and Salute campaign include 211 Orange County, Bob Hope USO, Goodwill of Orange County, Strength in Support, Strong Families Strong Children, Support the Enlisted Project (STEP) and Working Wardrobes.

Stand and Salute is part of a bold initiative by OCCF to boost the capacity of local nonprofits through a series of Collaborative Giving Days, where organizations with shared missions are invited to come together to boost collective giving for their causes.

This Giving Day is the latest of a series that, to date, has raised more than $10 million for Orange County nonprofits. OCCF first challenged Orange County residents to “give where their heart lives” during the inaugural iheartoc Giving Day in 2015, raising more than $1.8 million for 347 participating nonprofits in just 30 hours. In 2018, OCCF restructured iheartoc as an expanded opportunity for nonprofits to connect with one another in support of their shared missions. 

To give online during the Stand and Salute Giving Day, visit https://stand-and-salute-giving-day.ocnonprofitcentral.org/. Additional collaborative Giving Days will be announced over the coming year. For more information, visit www.oc-cf.org/iheartoc.