THE COMMODORES CLUB “YEAR OF GIVING” DESIGNATES SOMEONE CARES SOUP KITCHEN THIS MONTH
The Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce has designated Someone Who Cares Soup Kitchen for their December giving season. While this year has been filled with labels and words like ‘pandemic’, COVID and ‘cancellation’ that will forever be a part of our lexicon, the Commodores Club has been actively giving to their designated charities.
The Year of Giving was established in June of this year when incoming Commodores Club Skipper Marie Case followed the lead of Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill, who had declared 2020 the Year of the Volunteer.
When the ‘giving’ program launched, the Commodores were asked to give clothing to Working Wardrobes in Irvine and the Illumination Foundation of Southern California. Working Wardrobes was established by Jerri Rosen in 1990 to “help men, women, young adults and veterans overcome difficult challenges so they can achieve the dignity of work, and the Power of a Paycheck”. Donations were timely because Working Wardrobes’ luck had turned just before COVID arrived when a fire broke out in their warehouse.
Commodores also donated clothing to The Illumination Foundation, which provides “targeted, interdisciplinary services for the most vulnerable homeless clients in order to disrupt the cycle of homelessness in Southern California”.
Someone Cares Soup Kitchen, the Commodores Club designated charity for the holidays, provides “daily nutritional meals to the homeless, the unemployed, the working poor, the mentally challenged, the physically challenged, the senior citizens and most important of all – the children”.
“In the midst of a year filled with all things pandemic, there is a bright giving light within the ranks of the Commodores Club. I hope this program will continue and become a tradition going forward,” said Marie Case.