ANAHEIM HILLS, Calif., June 1, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canyon Acres Children and Family Services, a charity organization committed to providing homes, care, treatment and supportive services for abused, neglected and emotionally troubled children and their families, today announced it has received a $40,000 grant from a partnership between The Orange County Register and Festival of Children Foundation. Dubbed 'Season of Caring presents The Possible Dream(tm),' the partnership's grants are intended to support the critical needs of Orange County children and to fund projects that help youth-serving organizations realize their dreams. Canyon Acres will use funding to serve more children in its Creating Family Connections (CFC) program.
CFC aims to give children the most powerful dream ever by locating long-lost family members for kids who have been in Orange County's foster care system, usually for more than 10 years. Via the use of newly-available technology and highly-trained clinical staff, children who believe they are alone in the world are given hope for the future with connections to family members all over the country-family members they often did not know even existed.
"At a time when government budget cuts have caused a loss in funding for CFC, Canyon Acres is incredibly grateful to have the merits of the program recognized with this prestigious and generous grant," said Clete Menke, President of Canyon Acres. "Recognition and funding from Season of Caring presents The Possible Dream(tm) is tremendous validation for the efforts we make, and it helps us realize our mission to provide hope, love and care to the children who need it most."
One of CFC's success stories centers on a boy named Chris. When Chris was four years old, he and his sister came into foster care due to abuse from their parents. Chris and his siblings had tried living with other family members, but nothing worked out and they ended up in separate group homes for many years.
When Chris was almost 17, his case was referred to CFC. The team conducted an extensive search and was able to find a maternal aunt. CFC then flew her to Orange County from Missouri to meet Chris, and they never had to say goodbye; today Chris lives with his family in Missouri, is extremely happy, and has a full time job.
CFC has an incredible track record. In 2007, CFC received 75 referrals. For those children, the program located 1,063 previously unknown family members, for an average of 14 per child. 504 of those family members (7 per child) are now involved in the children's lives. 36% of those children are now living with the family members we located. Their futures are now incredibly brighter.
For more information on Canyon Acres or to make a donation, please visit www.canyonacres.org.
ABOUT SEASON OF CARING / ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER COMMUNICATIONS
Season of Caring is celebrating its tenth anniversary as the signature fund-raiser of Register Charities, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Since its inception in 1999, Season of Caring has raised nearly $6 million to help people in need in Orange County with help of its generous donors, which include readers of The Orange County Register and OCRegister.com, community organizations, and associates of Orange County Register Communications, Inc. For more information, visit www.OCRegister.com/seasonofcaring
Articles and promotional materials for Season of Caring are produced by Orange County Register Communications, Inc. of Santa Ana, Calif. Its portfolio includes The Orange County Register, a three-time, Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper and the area's most trusted source of news and information since 1905. Orange County Register Communications also publishes OCRegister.com, OCExcelsior.com, orangecounty.com, OCRegister.com/monster, OCRegister.com/realestate, and OCRegister.com/cars, and 24 community newspapers, including Spanish-language Excelsior. Magazines include Coast, Coast kids, Preferred Destinations and several publications supporting the performing arts. Orange County Register Communications also offers a full spectrum of custom printing services, insert and direct mail advertising vehicles. For more information, visit ocregister.com/aboutus.
ABOUT FESTIVAL OF CHILDREN FOUNDATION
Founded by children's advocate and businesswoman, Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, Festival of Children Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The foundation brings together and coordinates the efforts of charities, corporations, organizations, and individuals who actively work to improve the lives of children. It gives a voice, it gives guidance and it gives support to more than 300 member charities across the United States. 100% of the money the foundation raises is spent directly on programs that benefit children and its member charities. Festival of Children Foundation believes that by working together, dreams are possible. For more information, visit www.festivalofchildren.org.
The Possible Dream(tm) is a program that launched in 2008 by Festival of Children Foundation and Orange County Register's Season of Caring. The program finds, funds, and follows the dreams of children's charities in Orange County, CA.
ABOUT CANYON ACRES
Canyon Acres Children and Family Services has been serving children throughout Orange County since 1980 providing the highest level of care and therapeutic treatment to children who suffer from a variety of emotional and psychological disorders. Canyon Acres gives children nurturing, treatment, and opportunities that they need to grow up in safe, loving, and stable families. For more information about Canyon Acres Children and Family Services, contact Bock Communications at + 1-714-540-1030 or canyonacres@bockpr.com or visit the Canyon Acres Children and Family Services web site at www.canyonacres.org.