400 Volunteers from the Corporate Volunteer Council of Orange County (CVCOC) Combat Hunger in Orange County through Combined Service Project

WHAT:         

Over two days in May, volunteers from the Corporate Volunteer Council of Orange County (CVCOC) will participate in a combined volunteer project at The Giving Farm at Westminster High School, the largest remaining public school farm in Orange County. The farm is at the heart of an initiative to grow fresh produce for the Orange County Food Bank to give to those in need.

WHO:             

400 volunteers from 21 participating and supporting CVCOC member companies; Mark Lowry, Program Director at Orange County Food Bank; Gregory Scott, President/CEO of Community Action Partnership of Orange County; Nathan Gipple, Senior Director at Solutions for Urban AG; Jasmine Marzouk, Community Engagement Coordinator at In-N-Out Burger / CVCOC Committee Chair; Joe Fraser, Principal at Westminster High School

About the CVCOC: The Corporate Volunteer Council of Orange County (CVCOC) is a network of businesses that collaborate to make a positive impact on the quality of life in our communities by promoting and growing employee volunteerism. Under the leadership and direction of OneOC, CVCOC launched in January 2012 with 26 founding members and has grown to 30 members in 2018. In June of 2013, at the National Conference on Volunteering and Community Service in Washington DC, the CVCOC won the Points of Light Fast Start Award for outstanding Corporate Volunteer Council started in the past three years.

About the Giving Farm: The Giving Farm, located at Westminster High School is the largest remaining public school farm in OC. The farm sits on 8-acres and is a farm-to-food bank collaborative community program, managed by Solutions for Urban Agriculture, the Orange County Food Bank, OC Farm Bureau, and the Westminster High School Agriculture Program. It utilizes student and community volunteer support and provides hands-on educational opportunities while helping provide the community with fresh and nutritious fruits and vegetables.

WHEN:           

Friday, May 18, 2018 (1:00 pm – 4:00pm) and

Saturday, May 19, 2018 (9:00 am – 12:00 pm)

ABOUT THE PROJECT: 

For the first time in its five years, the CVCOC has chosen to focus on a specific cause for the year. In alignment with Impact2030, a private sector led initiative in collaboration with the United Nations, the CVCOC has chosen to address one of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2018 – SDG 2 – No Hunger. Volunteers will help beautify, refurbish and revitalize the farm through a series of projects to help improve the farm's efficiency and production, while also creating an environment that is inviting and welcoming to the community.

WHY: 

CVCOC is committed to addressing the most urgent needs in Orange County through an annual corporate combined volunteer project. Food insecurity is a pressing need in Orange County but is also an issue that can be addressed via volunteerism. Proper nutrition is the cornerstone of education, healthcare and workforce stability. Regardless of a company’s giving goals, SDG2 likely aligns with those priorities.

WHERE:          

Westminster High School:  14325 Goldenwest St., Westminster, CA 92863

CONTACT:     

Sheila Teevans, 714.597-8967 or steevans@OneOC.org

Floridel Martinez, 657.210.1968 or fmartinez@OneOC.org ; www.OneOC.org/CVCOC

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