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Girls Inc. of Orange County does its part
Helping Orange County girls step in the right direction since 1954, Girls Inc. of Orange County continues to change lives. The nonprofit assists those ages 5 to 18 by improving their confidence and priming them for the real world. By creating programs to prepare girls for a successful future, the New York-based organization provides an outlet for youth. With 44 locations in Orange County and two more starting in October at Juvenile Hall and the Youth Guidance Center, membership has reached almost 4,000 this year. Lucy Santana-Ornelas has been executive director of Girls Inc. for five years and strives to help girls understand the opportunities they are being offered. “We are opening doors and minds to being confident and self-sufficient,” she says. Aspiring to achieve their mission to motivate girls to be “STRONG, SMART and BOLD,” the organization advises members to explore careers and set goals. Opportunities for women are bountiful, but higher education is a requirement for success. Through tutoring, homework help and programs from fitness and life planning to substance abuse prevention and leadership development, Girls Inc. offers a wide variety of assistance for everyday issues. Veronica Escobedo, director of programs, oversees and evaluates activities. “Our programs are designed to empower girls to ask questions and to take risks,” Escobedo says. “We recognize that in order for girls to become ‘Strong, Smart and Bold,’ they need to also learn how to stay safe, how to manage money, how to lead healthy lifestyles and how to be risk takers.” One of the organization’s most popular programs is Youth Empowerment, Self-Sufficiency (Y.E.S.S.). Girls create their own business and learn how to deal with real work-related situations, such as economic issues. Also, girls can freely talk about exercise and their bodies without judgment and learn about maintaining a healthy body image in the new “Fit Girls and Families” program. “Our programs are different in order to meet the needs of each age group,” Escobedo says. “For example, we are continuing to focus on nontraditional careers for women and higher education through our ‘Eureka!’ program – a four-week summer program, hosted on the campus of Orange Coast College, designed to promote higher education – and our College Bound Program, which is meant to assist girls in researching colleges, seeking financial aid, and applying for scholarships.” About 95% of Girls Inc. members will be the first in their family to attend college. In the past year, five members won national scholarships. In 1992, Lucile Miller Wright, a dedicated supporter of the organization, donated $6.4 million to fund the Girls Inc. Scholars Program for members. “Our objective is to help girls develop skills to become confident, productive and responsible adults,” Santana-Ornelas says. The “Just For Girls” website allows girls to be part of the organization from home. The site features advice pertaining to all kinds of issues, stories by young girls who have made a difference, recent worldwide news topics and information about camps and retreats. Plans for the holidays includes the annual Eureka! Holiday Gift Basket Event in December, organized by the girls from the Eureka! program who will assemble 20 gift baskets for families at homeless shelters throughout Orange County. Volunteers and donations for the event are appreciated. HOW TO GET INVOLVED Website: girlsinc-oc.org To volunteer: If spending your time being a role model to young girls and inspiring them to take advantage of various opportunities is of interest to you, then volunteering may be the answer. Internships are also available. For information contact: Orleda Roa, volunteer coordinator Phone: 949.646.7181 To donate: To contribute to Girls Inc., send donations to the address below or call for more information: Girls Inc. of Orange County 1815 Anaheim Ave. Costa Mesa 949.646.7181 ATTN. Showleh Tolbert, director of development |
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