For more information please email sosfoundation@shareourselves.org.

If you have any questions or need assistance with registration, feel free to contact us at sosfoundation@shareourselves.org.

Costa Mesa, CA — Our annual Family Service Night went virtual this year, as over 300 parents and kids participated in our first At Home! event. Families, small groups of classmates, and Scout troops spent the evening together at home assembling over 2,000 hygiene kits, diaper kits, shaving kits and snack bags for our neighbors in need.

They later joined a Zoom discussion on homelessness in our community with SOS CEO Christy Ward, and a lively Q&A with staff where families learned more about Share Our Selves and the services we provide to the community, and additional ways to get involved. We were so impressed with the thoughtful questions the children asked, and their creative ideas to help assist our homeless population.

Although we are looking forward to the time when we can welcome families back onsite to volunteer with us, our virtual event gave participants the flexibility to complete the projects at their convenience, and we received a unanimous request to hold another event later this year. Thank you to everyone who participated and donated items.

Stay tuned for details and date for our Summer Service Night!

In lieu of this year’s in-person Celebrity Chef Dinner we spent the month of October celebrating our 50th Anniversary online! Supporters participated in an online auction and “raise the paddle” fundraiser to raise critical funds for individuals and families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Costa Mesa, CA — Share Our Selves welcomed families from the Orange County community to two events, Saturday of Service and Family Service Night, to kick off the holiday season by serving their homeless neighbors. Participants worked on projects that helped our homeless neighbors and taught children about the challenges they face. Geared towards families with children elementary school to high school age, these events provided the opportunity to introduce the next generation of OC philanthropists to issues of hunger and homelessness in our community. Throughout the night, our families helped SOS prepare for the holiday season by:

• Sorting 2,000 pounds of canned and assorted goods
• Packing 625 bags full of hygiene items
• Packing 400 diaper kits with diapers, wipes, and hand sanitizer
• Creating and decorating 150 gift card holders for our Adopt A Family program
• Packing 150 lunches for our homeless clients
• Preparing over 100 bags of Thanksgiving produce

Thank you to the 260 community members those who helped make this night a true success!

A huge thank you to our generous chefs, sponsors, event sponsors, Celebrity Chef Dinner Committee & volunteers for making this event a huge success!

Reception

First Course

Entrée

Dessert

Click here to view event photos 

Share Our Selves Celebrates Successful

Graduation Reception Honoring First in Family Scholars

Costa Mesa, CA (June 2, 2023) – Share Our Selves, an advocate for educational empowerment, hosted a memorable Graduation Reception on June 2, 2023, to celebrate the achievements of the First in Family Scholarship Program’s Class of 2023. The event, held at Norma Hertzog Community Center, brought together scholarship recipients and their families and local community leaders to honor the hard work and dedication of these exceptional students.

The Graduation Reception served as a platform to recognize the transformative impact of scholarships on the lives of students who are the first in their families to pursue higher education. A total of 29 students from Back Bay High School, Costa Mesa High School, and Estancia High School were awarded scholarships as part of the First in Family College Readiness Program, which provides scholarships up to $1,000 to deserving recipients.

Beyond financial support, each scholarship recipient was also equipped with essential resources to facilitate their academic journey. This included a laptop, a backpack filled with school supplies, a toiletry kit, monetary gift cards for book assistance and living supplies, and a collegiate sweatshirt representing their new university.

The event featured inspiring speeches from Katrina Foley, Orange County Supervisor, and Manuel Chavez, Council Member Costa Mesa who shared their personal journeys of being first-generation college students. Heartfelt reflections were also shared by alumna guest speaker, Ileana Hernandez, a former scholarship recipient who is now a Share Our Selves team member. The event also included a special recognition of parents and family members who provided invaluable support to the scholars throughout their educational journey.

“The world is in front of you with possibilities and I want to personally wish you all the greatest of adventures and creating a wonderful life that you are building for yourself! Congratulations!” said Christy Ward, chief executive officer of Share Our Selves. “The Graduation Reception allowed us to celebrate their remarkable accomplishments and reaffirm our commitment to providing opportunities for first-generation students to succeed.”

We extend our sincere gratitude to our generous donors and sponsors who made this possible. Special thanks to Volcom for their donation of backpacks, providing our students with the necessary tools for success. Your support has made a significant impact on these students’ lives.

Congratulations to our 2023 First in Family College Readiness Program scholarship recipients:

BACK BAY HIGH SCHOOL

Gwendolyn Alvarado
Lizbeth Calderon
Luis Corrales
Brianna Fuentes
Sofia Loredo
Litzy Valadez
Nadia Vazquez

COSTA MESA HIGH SCHOOL

Kenya Bello
Dana Burgos
Kimberly Camacho
Ashley Gutierrez
Lyla Kibin
Emily Luna
Jay Nguyen
Milenka Ramirez
Kassandra Ramos
Dante Sandoval
Janine Thomas

ESTANCIA HIGH SCHOOL

Allison Alas Chacon
Suly Aidee Alvarez
Eric Angeles
Kim Camacho Pacheco
Perla Hernandez
Christina Leon
Siomara Nieto-Guadalupe
Luis Patricio
Ana Romero
Vanessa Ruiz Rivera
Isaac Tello