Irvine-based Human Options Inc. recently presented its 2011 Dove Award to Peter and Virginia Ueberroth for the couple’s longtime support of the organization through their family foundation.
Human Options helps victims of domestic abuse. Its services include prevention and early intervention programs, an emergency shelter and long-term transitional housing.
The Uberroths support of Human Options dates back to 1981, when the organization was founded in Laguna Beach.
Peter Ueberroth is managing director of Contrarian Group, an investment and management company, and owner and co-chairman of the Pebble Beach Co. He serves on the boards of Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co. and Ireland-based Aircastle Ltd., which leases and sells jets to airlines.
Peter Ueberroth also serves as honorary president of the United States Olympic Committee. He led organizing of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and later served as commissioner of Major League Baseball.
Virginia Ueberroth is a former chairman of the Ueberroth Family Foundation, a director of the Santa Ana-based First American Financial Corp. and a trustee for Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach.
Verizon, Too
The West Coast regional headquarters of Verizon Wireless in Irvine recently donated $50,000 to Human Options. That takes its contributions to more than $170,000 in the past five years.
Human Options will put the latest gift from Verizon toward its Center for Children and Families, which provides personal counseling and legal counseling for victims of domestic violence, and its community education program, which tries to prevent abuse through awareness classes held at Orange County middle schools and high schools.
New York-based Verizon Wireless targets its philanthropic donations toward domestic violence prevention.
Its HopeLine program collects wireless phones and equipment in any condition from any service provider, refurbishes them and donates them—with airtime—to victims of domestic violence.
Last year, Verizon awarded nearly $2.5 million in grants to domestic violence agencies in California alone. Its HopeLine donated more than 2,800 prepaid HopeLine phones to victims in shelters with nearly 8.5 million minutes of free airtime.
Help for Laura’s House
Irvine-based Orange County United Way and Santa Ana-based Habitat for Humanity of Orange County’s Building United program teamed up to purchase and install 26 windows and a sliding glass door for a new transitional housing development at Laura’s House.
The organization provides emergency shelter and transitional housing services to more than 200 women and children who are fleeing violent homes.
Laura’s House is based in Ladera Ranch. It does not publicize the location of its shelter or transitional housing due to security concerns.
United Way donated about $5,500 for the windows and door.
Habitat for Humanity coordinated the project and provided volunteers.
The new transitional housing facility is part of a $4.5 million program launched last year to expand the shelter.
Irvine-based HomeAid Orange County is helping build the shelter.
HomeAid contracts with charities to build housing and shelter for homeless people and families and others in need.
Tustin-based Orange County Rescue Mission Inc. needs $300,000 to close a budget gap driven by a 25% increase in the number of persons seeking its services.
Orange County Rescue Mission helps homeless people get a new start through the Village of Hope, which offers housing and a variety of services, such as meals, medical assistance, job training and help repairing credit.
“Summer is always a hard time for the Rescue Mission, as holiday giving has ended,” said Jim Palmer, president of the organization.
As a rule, the Rescue Mission doesn’t accept government donations.
“We are hearing that many businesses are getting stronger throughout Orange County, and are therefore hoping that people will be able to reach a bit deeper and share what they can.”
The Santa Ana-based Public Law Center raised $646,000 at its recent annual Volunteers for Justice dinner with keynote speaker Tani Cantil-Sakauye, chief justice of California.
The nonprofit provides free legal services to needy Orange County residents. It has nearly 1,000 volunteer attorneys, paralegals and others.
Newport Beach-based Gen Next is following up on Google Ideas’ Summit Against Violent Extremism in Dublin, Ireland, in June.
Gen Next donated $15,000 through its foundation to fund public service announcements intended to help prevent violent extremism.
Google Ideas is a think tank of the Mountain View-based company.
Jared Cohen is director of Google Ideas and a member of Gen Next, which supports several projects related to security, economics and education.
Irvine-based Galardi Group Inc.’s Wienerschnitzel thanked U.S. Navy members with 1,000 chili dogs. Last month a Weiner Wagon handed out the dogs to the sailors at the Port of Los Angeles.
