Charity’s Closet Mission
The purpose of Charity’s Closet is to provide a dependable source of revenue to support HIS OC; and to raise the awareness of our shelter and the ever-increasing homeless problem in Orange County.
From Farmhouse to HIS House to Homeless Intervention Services of OC
Our story began in 1989. The Placentia Presbyterian Church bought a large farmhouse which was situated about a hundred yards from the church. The good people of the church were not sure how to use the building until one member encountered a homeless family, with a pregnant mother, living in a park and couldn’t stand the thought of them spending another night on the streets. The homeless family was invited to stay at the farmhouse. The farmhouse became HIS House and opened its doors as a mission of the Placentia Presbyterian Church.
As time went on, our organization became a refuge for our residents, a safe place where homeless individuals and families could turn their lives around and move towards a life of self-sufficiency. We added to the main house and designed a 4-6 month program to help families rebuild their lives. In many instances, families came to us separated and parents needed to reunify with their children. We provided the tools to help them get back on their feet and we guided them through the healing process to come back together as a family.
Today the family program, which we now call the Transitional Housing Program, has expanded to house 54 people and helps families find their way back to their own homes. Over the years, the Transitional Housing program has helped thousands of families to overcome homelessness and obtain self-sufficiency.
In 2019 it became clear that the needs of our community were expanding and folks needed more help. We knew our house — HIS House — needed an addition. Three more additions, in fact. And so in 2020, we added three new programs:
CHESS
Combining Housing Education and Skills for Students
A program for young men addressing their specific education, job training, and transitional housing needs.
HomeShare OC
A matching program pairing homeless college students with local seniors so that both parties can thrive and assist each other in a shared home.
Housing Connection
A networking and referral program for people who need services other than, or in addition to, transitional housing. This program has grown to include two Resource Centers in North Orange County. These Resource Centers, located in the Whitten and Gomez Community Centers, provide families and individuals services and assistance from our staff right in their neighborhood.
The pandemic challenged us all in the last three years, but we found ways to forge on and grow. With a lot of support from our community and donors and more than a little elbow grease, our house is not just one farmhouse offering shelter to a few families. It’s more. The cozy yellow and green house is still here, but it’s bigger, stronger, better, and brighter than ever before, with room and services to assist the growing number of people who need us. Without picking up a hammer, we’ve added to the structure of HIS House. And because we are now more than just a house, we changed our name in 2020 to Homeless Intervention Services of Orange County and acquired our own 501c3 status. We brightened our color scheme to reflect the greater hope and expanded service we can now bring to the community.
Come on in . . . the house is bigger.
Charity’s Closet
By 2004, it became apparent to HIS OC volunteers that the staff and residents could no longer accept or process or use the tremendous volume of donations from the community, and a plan for a Thrift Store in the neighborhood was researched and developed. In March, 2006, an all-volunteer group opened a store where donations were made available to the general public with all the proceeds from their sales to go to the support of the shelter.