We’ve planned an entertaining day filled with great golf, delicious food, on course contests and raffle prizes.

After the tournament the party begins with the Helicopter Golf Ball Drop and then our new outdoor OKTOBERFEST after party! It will be a festive atmosphere, with fun music, the award ceremony, raffle prizes and dinner with a variety of delicious German food.

To register for the event or to become a sponsor click here

To participate in the Helicopter Ball Drop (no attendance required) click here. $10 for 1 ball and $25 for 3. The grand prize is awarded to the one ball that lands closest to the center of the hole or in the hole. Each ball has a chance to win!

This is an excellent opportunity to those who are not avid golfers but still want to join in on the fun filled festivities after the tournament.

We would also like to express our gratitude to exotic and luxury automotive dealer EuroCar, who will be hosting the grand opening of their new Costa Mesa showroom, the largest of its kind in the nation, on August 20. At the opening, guests will be invited to participate in a raffle, silent auction and the auction of a Bentley, with the proceeds benefiting Mercy House.

Read the article.

To view the entire report, 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress

Orange County Register Columnist Donna Bunce attended Mercy House’s sixth annual “Living With Heart” Gala. The event celebrated the agency’s 20 years of serving the homeless of Southern California, and netted and estimated $110,000 to support its clients and programs.

Founder and Chair Father Jerome T. Karcher and Exec. Director Larry Haynes

“We’ve gone from serving 10 homeless men in a two-bedroom house on Main Street in Santa Ana 20 years ago to serving more than 10,000 individuals last year,” Mercy House founder and board chairman Father Jerome T. Karcher remembered at the nonprofit’s 20th anniversary Living With Heart gala May 15th at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel. “I feel awed by the growth of Mercy House, especially through the generosity of so many people, including city governments, foundations, corporations, and individuals,” Karcher concluded.

Corporate Honoree: Jaime Fischer, General Manager, House of Blues; Community Honoree: Heather McLaughlin, VP of Public Affairs, Experian; and Todd Miller, Talent Buyer, House of Blues

During the program, Father Karcher gave special recognition to Larry Haynes for his 20 years with the agency. Acknowledgment was also given to Mercy House’s generous sponsors and to its Corporate Honoree Experian and its Community Honoree House of Blues.

Read the full column and view photos of the event in The Orange County Register.

The agency will recognize Experian as its corporate honoree and House of Blues as its community honoree.

Guests will enjoy a night of fun with silent and live auctions, elegant food and great music provided by Ray Charles protege Ellis Hall and runners up for the KTLA Battle of the Bands, Adams Attic.

The theme for this year’s gala is “Together We Shine.” The theme for the event will be supported by an original song performed by a “super group” of Southern California musicians including Artildo Holloway, Jason Janson, Austin Wood and Derek Henry at the beginning of the program.

Click here to view the press release. For information about the gala, visit our splash page.

Program participants seeking housing and shelter needs should call 2-1-1 for assistance. 2-1-1 provides free and confidential information and referral. Individuals and families can call 2-1-1 for help with critical issues like shelter, food, housing, employment, health care, counseling, legal and financial assistance, mental health care, and more. The 2-1-1 number is available to all people living in Orange County. Callers seeking assistance can dial 211 (toll free) 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week, and be connected to trained information and referral specialists. This service is available in over 150 languages.

Sharon and Shannon will be honored for their outstanding contribution to the community, and for their one-year commitment to Mercy House. Their efforts have directly impacted the work we do,  and allow us to provide additional services to those in need.

The 34th Annual Spirit of Volunteerism Awards will be held Thursday, April 15, 2010 at the Disneyland Hotel. Presented by Volunteer Center Orange County, the Spirit of Volunteerism Awards recognize the dedicated service of outstanding volunteers in nonprofits, businesses, schools and civic organizations who are making a difference in our Orange County community.

Volunteer Center Orange County will also pay special tribute to families who demonstrate their collective power to make a difference by volunteering together. In addition, Disneyland Resort will receive the Giving is Living Award for their outstanding leadership in promoting the value of family volunteerism in Orange County.

Mercy House is thankful for the continued commitment of all our volunteers who make our community impact possible!

For more information, click here.

He spoke with Mercy House Executive Director Larry Haynes to get a broad view of the types of programs that are available for homelessness-prevention and housing, and also interviewed Mercy House client, Jennifer Santana, to get a very personal view of what it’s like to be unexpectedly and suddenly homeless with your children for the first time.

After her husband left her, Jennifer Santana lost her job. When she was evicted from her apartment, Santana, 37, held her family together by living with a friend and then in her van. But as the nights grew cold in early December, she stood huddled with her three children in front of the Orange County cold-weather shelter in Santa Ana, Calif. “There were long lines of men and women, and the people were laying out mats on the floor. It was scary. I could not believe I was standing there with my kids.

Read the article in tday’s TIME.com article: The Feds’ Homelessness-Prevention Program