Orangewood Foundation (Orangewood) recently transformed its Santa Ana campus into a festive Winter Wonderland, welcoming over 500 youth, families, donors, and volunteers for a holiday celebration designed to spark joy and belonging for young people who might otherwise spend the holiday season alone.
The event featured holiday games, hot cocoa stations, photos with Santa, gift-wrapping, and hands-on activities, creating a welcoming space for youth to connect, celebrate, and pick out gifts that fit their personal needs and interests.
Orange County’s young adults had the chance to choose from curated gift booths stocked with electronics, sporting equipment, clothing, and essential home goods — items selected to help them feel seen, supported, and celebrated. In just three hours, Orangewood gifted more than 5,000 presents.
Alongside toys and holiday treats, many gifts supported the practical needs of youth transitioning to independence, including:
- Bedding
- Kitchen items such as air fryers, rice cookers, crock pots, and more
- Household essentials such as vacuums, TVs, and tool sets
- Hygiene supplies
Volunteer “elves” guided youth through the event and stamped their holiday passport, creating an experience that encouraged community connection, confidence, and the holiday spirit.
“The holidays can feel especially difficult and lonely for young people who don’t have reliable family support,” said Chris Simonsen, CEO of Orangewood Foundation. “Events like Winter Wonderland remind our youth that they have a community alongside them, not just during the holiday season, but all year long.”
This initiative is part of Orangewood’s ongoing commitment to uplifting young people across Orange County with programs that provide stability, belonging, and a pathway to a brighter future.
About the Orangewood Foundation
The Orangewood Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Santa Ana, California, dedicated to supporting foster, homeless, and at-risk youth. Founded in 1981, it has evolved from a children’s shelter into a comprehensive resource hub serving over 2,000 young people annually.
Core Focus Areas
The foundation structures its services around four key pillars to empower young adults ages 18–24 as they transition to independence:
- Basic Needs & Support: Operates the Orangewood Resource Center (ORC), a drop-in facility providing hot meals, laundry, showers, and on-site mental health therapy.
- Housing: Provides transitional and permanent housing through programs like Rising Tide (apartments for former foster youth) and The Lighthouse (safe housing for trafficking survivors).
- Education: Offers scholarships for undergraduate and advanced degrees, and operates the Samueli Academy, a public charter school specifically designed to support foster and underserved students.
- Life Skills & Employment: Runs the Lyon Workforce Academy, a paid training program, and provides workshops on budgeting, interviewing, and career development.
Key Initiatives & Milestones
- Samueli Academy: Founded in 2013, this academy includes on-campus dorms through the Youth Connected Program for students needing a stable living environment.
- Project CHOICE: A specialized program launched in 2017 to provide trauma-informed care and safe spaces for survivors of human trafficking.
- Hope’s Corner: A newer initiative (launched late 2024) providing transitional housing for historically marginalized youth, including LGBTQ+ individuals.
- Guardian Scholars: Co-founded with Cal State Fullerton in 1998, this program dramatically increased college graduation rates for foster youth from 2% to 70% among participants.
Community Impact
In recent years, the foundation has served nearly 10,000 hot meals and awarded over $680,000 in scholarships annually. It was recognized as the 2023 California Nonprofit of the Year. You can learn more or find out how to contribute through the Orangewood Foundation website.