More than 25 offices affiliated with Pacific Dental Services provided free services for a day to kids in need. Irvine-based Pacific Dental worked with 25 nonprofits to offer services in communities throughout California. The dentists did hundreds of exams, X-rays, fillings, sealants and extractions. The company also directed more than $100,000 to the American Red Cross through employee and company donations for those impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Sixteen Orange County nonprofits were awarded more than $420,00 in grants from Blue Shield of California Foundation.
Orange County High School of the Arts received $10,000 from Boeing Co.’s Employees Community Fund. The money will be used to fund arts education for four students.
The Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce and Ocean Laguna Foundation launched the Sea-Safe Packaging Program to encourage the use and sale of more environment-friendly packaging materials to help improve the quality of ocean water. The voluntary effort includes proper disposal of plastics by consumers, restaurants and hotels.
Disaster Relief Efforts
The Walt Disney Co. donated $2.5 million for relief and rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast region. More than 300 workers at the Disneyland Resort, known as the Disney VoluntEars, helped in the national telethon for those impacted by Hurricane Katrina. The Anaheim and Orlando call centers raised $1.3 million for the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army.
Mercury Insurance Group matched employee donations for a total of $110,000 given to the Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund for those affected by hurricanes Wilma, Rita and Katrina. About 1,600 of the company’s employees are in the Brea office.
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund received more than $32,000 from VQ OrthoCare, which designs and makes products for orthopedic care and has a regional office in Irvine. The company’s 270 workers raised $16,425 through donations, community car washes, bake sales, potlucks and raffles. The company matched the donations.
Dana Capital Group in Costa Mesa donated $20,000 to Habitat for Humanity Orange County for its Katrina Relief fund.
The American Red Cross received $16,000 from Irvine-based KTGY Group Inc., Architecture and Planning in employee donations and company matching funds to be used for families impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Irvine-based Hall & Foreman Inc., which provides engineering and landscape architecture services, donated more than $16,000 to the American Red Cross for its Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. The company matched employee donations and added $1,000.
Ride to Provide, which convoyed supplies and holiday gifts from the Southland to Baton Rouge, La., and solicited money to build 60 houses in Shreveport, La., received $10,000 from Irvine-based Crown Realty & Development.
Newport Beach-based TRG Land Inc.’s fourth annual Cajun Crawfish Boil raised more than $10,000 for Habitat for Humanity’s home rebuilding efforts in the Gulf.
The American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund received $10,000 from Irvine-based United Agribusiness League.
Merit Cos., Park West Landscape Inc., Pacific Coast Weatherproofing and Aqua Blue/Jots Construction raised more than $8,000 for the victims of Laguna Beach’s Bluebird Canyon landslide and Hurricane Katrina families.
