Mercy House Launches November Homeless Awareness Month 30 Days, 30 Ways Campaign

SANTA ANA, CA, November 03, 2012

Mercy House, one of Southern California's premier advocates of the homeless, providing a unique system of dignified housing alternatives, programs and supportive services, is launching a new campaign aimed at the residents in Orange County and the city of Ontario, to raise awareness about homelessness throughout Southern California. This campaign, taking place during the entire month of November, is structured around a 30 Days, 30 Ways calendar in which participants are encouraged to "take action" through participation in volunteer opportunities, education and advocacy, attendance of awareness events, and social media outreach.

"Homelessness can oftentimes be seen as an 'invisible' issue, despite the fact that there are tens of thousands of people living on the streets on any given night in Southern California," said Allison Harvey, Mercy House Development Director, "this campaign reminds us that homelessness is a reality for so many and that together, as community members, we can work together to do something about it".

Mercy House has partnered with a number of different community partners to bring exciting opportunities to show support during Homeless Awareness Month.

Highlights of the month include the following events and opportunities which are open to the entire community. To learn more about these opportunities and the 30 Days, 30 Ways Campaign, please visit http://homeless-awareness.com/

- Make an online donation to Mercy House, any time throughout the month of November and enter opportunity drawing to win a dinner for two ($150 value) at Five Crowns Restaurant in Corona Del Mar.

- Thursday, November 8th: Film Screening of the Homeless World Cup documentary, Kicking It!, 6-9PM, Sound Chapel, 651 West Sunflower Avenue Santa Ana, CA 92707.

- Friday, November 16th: Evening of Awareness, at The CAMP, Rooftop Beer Garden,
2937 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 7-10 PM, Offering a live band, food, drinks and fun! $5 per person.

- Wednesday, November 28th: Happy Hour at Mutt Lynch's in Newport Beach
- Friday, November 30th: Finale Event, Images of Homelessness Art Exhibition, Santa Ana Artist District.

Background:

There are approximately 20,000 homeless individuals living on the streets of Orange County. Each day there are thousands more who run the risk of becoming homeless, as the cost of housing, utilities, childcare, healthcare and transportation continue to increase.

As a leader in providing services and solutions to homelessness, Mercy House has developed a system of care in which homelessness is targeted at every level - from prevention, emergency and transitional to permanent housing - and targeting individuals, families, single mothers and their children, veterans, and those living with HIV/AIDS alike.

About the Campaign:

This Fall 2012, in observance of Homeless Awareness Month, Mercy House is launching a 30 Ways in 30 Days campaign to raise awareness of issues of homelessness, generate support from community members and advocate on behalf of the thousands of clients we serve each year.

Our 30 Ways in 30 Days campaign will take place during the entire month of November. Community members will have the opportunity to pledge their support and take specific actions each day during the month that will support the mission of Mercy House and demonstrate their commitment in the fight to end homelessness.

About Mercy House:

Santa Ana, Calif.-based Mercy House is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization that provides housing and comprehensive supportive services for some of the most vulnerable homeless populations including families, adult men and women, mothers and their children, persons living with HIV/AIDS, and veterans. Seeing the need in our community to serve the poor and the homeless, Mercy House was founded in 1988 by Father Jerome T. Karcher. Over the past 22 years Father Karcher, together with the leadership of Larry Haynes, Mercy House's first employee and only Executive Director, has not ceased to see the need in the community. What was once an agency helping 10 men with one transitional shelter, has grown to serve nearly 8,000 individuals in need last year and expanded to include 4 transitional housing facilities, emergency shelter and services, homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing, and service enriched permanent housing facilities for individuals and families with low income. Visit http://homeless-awareness.com/.