Produced by Festival of Children Foundation and The Happiness Project, “Sharing the Spirit Holiday Party” will host 500 children from Orange County without permanent housing
COSTA MESA, Calif. (Dec. 13, 2019) – On Friday, December 13, 500 homeless and deserving children from throughout Orange County will enjoy an exclusive holiday wonderland experience created just for them at South Coast Plaza, courtesy of Costa Mesa’s Festival of Children Foundation, The Happiness Project and hundreds of volunteers and generous sponsors and donors. During the 13th annual “Sharing the Spirit Holiday Party” held in Santa’s Village in Carousel Court, the event will feature three hours of holiday cheer featuring photos with Santa, rides on the reindeer carousel, dozens of arts and crafts activities, interactive games, treats and toys to enjoy all year long. The event will be held from 9:00 p.m. to midnight after South Coast Plaza closes, making for a very special event specifically for the children.
“This event bring smiles and joy to so many deserving children, making it one of my absolute favorite nights of the year,” said Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, founder and executive director of Costa Mesa, California-based Festival of Children Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports the efforts of nearly 500 children’s charities across the country. “We are so grateful to our partner on this project, The Happiness Project, and the hundreds of volunteers, who spend hours and hours creating this magical experience that brings so many smiles to the faces of these incredible children.”
The children, who range in age from 5 to 16 years old, are brought from several local shelters or agencies, and are greeted by 250 volunteers, including local students, who learn about philanthropy by accompanying each child through the evening’s activities. The celebration, including the bag of gifts given to each child, was made possible by the generous donations from Herman & Mary K. Seibel Charitable Foundation, The Allergan Foundation, Bloomingdale’s, DotDotSmile, Macy’s, and JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
About Festival of Children Foundation
Festival of Children Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that serves to bring together and coordinate the efforts of charities, companies and individuals who actively work to improve the lives of children. Festival of Children Foundation gives a voice, guidance and support. 100% of the administrative costs are covered by designated funding, allowing donations to go further in direct support of programs and services that improve the lives of children. www.festivalofchildren.org
About The Happiness Project
Based in Orange County, The Happiness Project is a 501 (c) (3), non‐profit organization with a mission to help disadvantaged and homeless children in Orange County by providing them with basic essentials that will allow them to live a healthy life, be able to attend school, never go unfed, and to have a bright future with many opportunities. For more information, visit www.HelpOCKids.org.
Contact: Cassady Taylor
Festival of Children Foundation
(714) 438 – 3205
ctaylor@festivalofchildren.org