The Corona-Norco Settlement House was established in 1912 to give temporary emergency aid to itinerant workers and their families. Although the Citrus Groves are all but completely gone, the need for help for some of the poorest of families continues even today.
The Settlement House is a registered non-profit 501c3 which functions by the mission that ‘no family or individual will go without food or shelter and that no child will go to school without proper clothes. To that end the organization provides services that ease the lives of many and provides for those with the greatest needs.
While many of the services are provided year round, the holiday season is when the community bonds together and steps up to make sure the Settlement House can function as a major facilitator and provider of holiday giving in the Corona area. Settlement House has three holiday giving programs it offers to community families in need. The Food Drive and Thanksgiving Family Sponsorship are two that serve families and the Holiday Toy Program which makes the holiday season special for children.
FOOD DRIVE
It is in November that the main food drive begins as a collaborative effort with the Corona-Norco Unified School District. Students are encouraged to bring canned goods to school to be put in the 500-700 food baskets that are given out for the holidays in December. People are also encouraged to bring canned goods to the City Hall tree lighting and various other events around the town.
THANKSGIVING
Although the on-going pantry is available, the Settlement House has created a program especially for this holiday. For those who are able, the Settlement house arranges family sponsorship whereby a person, business or organization can choose to sponsor a family’s Thanksgiving dinner. The sponsor is responsible for purchasing the food and delivering it to the home of the family. Last year 27 families were recipients of a Thanksgiving dinner.
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HOLIDAY TOY PROGRAM AND SPARK OF LOVE TOY DRIVE
Settlement House wraps and distributes new toys to over 3000 children for Christmas. Each child receives one main gift and a number of other stocking stuffer type items and school supplies as part of this program. This is accomplished in large part because the Settlement House is the named recipient of the Corona Fire Department and Norco Fire Department’s participation in the Spark of Love Toy Drive.
The Spark of Love program was started by Fire Departments in southern California 17 years ago and currently extends throughout counties from Ventura south. Channel 7 News is the main media sponsor, airing information about the program on a daily basis.
According to Daniel Yonan, Corona Fire Spark of Love Coordinator, ‘The Spark of Love Program has gotten bigger every year and really shows how united our community is. It’s a great feeling to be involved in such a program and know that thousands of children will have a special holiday because of it.’
OTHER YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS
Bagged groceries are provided to between 30 and 40 families per night, 5 days a week throughout the year with the support of the community, markets, churches and local businesses on a year round basis. 5,768 families received meals last year. One very special 14 year old Corona resident, Katie Yancu, has raised over $6500 by recycling during the
past 7 years to provide baby food to the program.
This program as well as others are in part supported be the Empty Bowl Dinner which typically takes place in October.
The Thrift Store is open 6 days a week and sells quality used items. A fresh set of clothes is provided for the homeless once a week. On Saturdays there are $7 bag parking lot sale where anyone can purchase a pre-packed bag of items for $7. Lots of Halloween items can be found! Donations of wearable used clothing and various working household items are always accepted.
BACK TO SCHOOL AND CHILDSPREE
These two programs together provide clothing, shoes and school supplies to identified students that are in desperate need in order to attend school. Sears Essentials on Main Street, Payless Shoes and the Women’s Improvement Club of Corona have made substantial donations to make these programs making it possible to continue.
The Settlement House also collaborates with many other community organizations such as, The Corona Public Library, Norco Kiwanis, Corona Life Care, Circle of Hope Homeless Shelter, RTA, and many more.
For more information on the Settlement House, call (951) 737-3504
Corona Settlement House
507 S Vicentia Ave
Corona, CA 92882-2149
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