SANTA ANA, Calif. – November 19, 2018 – This #GivingTuesday, Goodwill of Orange County is raising funds to cover monthly membership costs for individuals living with physical disabilities or chronic illness at the Rogers A. Severson Fitness & Technology Center.
#Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide. Following Thanksgiving and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, this year’s #GivingTuesday will take place on November 27thand will kick off the giving season by inspiring people to collaborate and give back.
Designed specifically for people living with physical disabilities or chronic illness, the Rogers A. Severson Fitness & Technology Center provides extraordinary services, a fully accessible gym with the latest specialized equipment and facilities alongside inclusive fitness classes and knowledgeable physical therapists and personal training staff. The gym remains the only facility in Orange County equipped for this deserving population.
This Giving Tuesday, the local community can be a part of someone’s inspirational story by giving a membership to the Fitness & Technology Center. A monthly membership costs just $35. Goodwill aims to raise funds to cover 200 membership fees.
“Our Rogers A. Severson Fitness & Technology Center provides a state-of-the-art and comfortable facility for people with physical disabilities and chronic illnesses to build strength and confidence. There’s nothing else like it in Orange County and for many, the Fitness Center is a true lifeline,” said Nicole Suydam, president and CEO of Goodwill of Orange County. “Goodwill of Orange County is proud to participate in this worldwide giving event, and we are grateful and appreciative for the support of the local community.”
Founded in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y – a community and cultural center in New York City – #GivingTuesday inspired millions of people to give back and support the causes they believe in. Over $300 million was raised online to benefit a tremendously broad range of organizations, and much more was given in volunteer hours, donations of food and clothing, and acts of kindness.
“We are incredibly inspired by the way the #GivingTuesday community has embraced this concept for a worldwide movement,” said Henry Timms, Founder of #GivingTuesday and Executive Director of 92Y. “As we prepare for November 27, we’re energized and encouraged by the community’s generosity. The levels of creativity, effort and the quality of the new ideas people have contributed and shared are phenomenal.”
Those who are interested in joining Goodwill of Orange County’s #GivingTuesday initiative can visit: http://bit.ly/GoodwillFC.
For more details about the #GivingTuesday movement, visit the #GivingTuesday website (www.givingtuesday.org), Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/GivingTuesday) or follow @GivingTues and the #GivingTuesday hashtag on Twitter.
About Goodwill of Orange County
Goodwill helps people who are facing barriers to find and keep jobs, which provides purpose, pride, and dignity. Founded on the belief that every person should have the opportunity to achieve the independence that work provides, Goodwill is most recognized for being the conduit where donated goods are sold in America’s favorite thrift stores to generate the revenue that provides the services to those who face employment challenges. Goodwill of Orange County, which marked its 94thyear of service in 2018, has supported hundreds of thousands of Orange County residents since its inception by creating and providing quality training and employment services to empower its program participants to be productive and independent. The nonprofit organization has dozens of programs that support this effort, including the Goodwill Rogers A. Severson Fitness & Technology Center, Orange County’s only facility specially designed for people suffering from chronic illnesses and physical disabilities; its global approach to serving veterans and their families, Goodwill of Orange County Tierney Center for Veteran Services, which helps former service members and their families find resources and services to meet and serve their unique needs, including housing, job placement, education, and wellness; and its Assistive Technology Exchange Center (ATEC),which provides access to more than 1,000 state-of-the-art technology devices for children and adults with disabilities. These are just a few of Goodwill of Orange County’s innovative programs that have served those facing barriers in Orange County for the past nine decades. To learn more about Goodwill of Orange County, visit ocgoodwill.org.
About #GivingTuesday
Founded by the team in the Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact at 92nd Street Y (http://www.92Y.org), #GivingTuesday is a global giving movement that has been built by individuals, families, organizations, businesses and communities in all 50 states and in countries around the world. This year, #GivingTuesday falls on November 27. #GivingTuesday harnesses the collective power of a unique blend of partnersto transform how people think about, talk about, and participate in the giving season. It inspires people to take collective action to improve their communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they believe in, and help create a better world. #GivingTuesday demonstrates how every act of generosity counts, and that they mean even more when we give together.
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Media Contact: Nicole Morrison, (949) 200-6110, nmorrison@cornerstonecomms.com
