Report: Many in Orange County lack basic needs | county, orange ...

NEWPORT BEACH ? The Orange County Community Foundation issued a report Thursday showing that residents of a county widely perceived as affluent also face huge challenges in basic needs, ranging from health care and housing to education and food.

The nonprofit, which helps direct money and other resources to service providers throughout Orange County, also announced a plan to make it easier for anybody to donate to specific local charities. By spring, the group's new website (ConnectOC.org), will provide the public with a searchable database of some 600 fully staffed local nonprofits.

Tammy Philbin, left, sits with her 27-year-old disabled son, Robby. Philbin, a widow, has been her son's sole caregiver for more than 20 years, but recently she was diagnosed with Stage 4 uterine cancer and has no heath insurance. She was finally able to get her surgery and treatment through Share Our Selves.

LEONARD ORTIZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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"The whole point of ConnectOC is to motivate and inspire all residents to get involved in meeting the needs of their local communities," said Shelley Hoss, president of OCCF, which since its founding in 1989 has granted $225 million.

Those needs are detailed in the organization's overview of Orange County, a six-month effort that for the first time pulls together previously reported statistics from numerous public agencies and private organizations.

The group's findings, released to coincide with National Philanthropy Day, but first made public Wednesday night at the Newport Beach-based foundation's annual meeting, include:

?Nearly half of Orange County students live in families making the equivalent of $40,000 a year or less.

?A worker earning minimum wage would have to work 133 hours a week to afford a one-bedroom apartment. (A separate report released this week by the California Association of Realtors concluded that just 1 in 3 Orange County households can afford to buy a median-priced, single-family home.)

?One in 3 O.C. residents lacks access to essential health care services.

?Only 55 percent of third-graders read at a proficient level.

"Some of these results were surprising, even to professionals like us who work in the philanthropy field," Hoss said.

There are more than 750 community foundations in the United States, and last year OCCF was the 10th most active grant maker, Hoss said.

Much work, however, needs to be done to close the gap between the county's most fortunate and those facing such challenges as eating regular meals or receiving even basic medical care, OCCF officials say.

"I don't think the general public knows the deep needs of Orange County, particularly in health care," said Mike Mussallem, chairman and chief executive of Edwards Lifesciences, which employs more than 2,500 in Orange County.

"Most people think of Orange County as a mecca of healthy, vibrant people, and will be surprised to learn from ConnectOC that half of our adults and a quarter of our teens are obese, or are approaching obesity, or that 1 in 3 residents do not have access to the health care they need."

Mussallem partners with OCCF for his philanthropic efforts and was involved in reviewing the report before it was published.

"I applaud OCCF for taking on the task of really trying to understand the needs of our community," he said. "The data... shines a flood light on the real issues that are facing Orange County, and I believe that with this information comes a responsibility to act boldly and make positive changes."

The organization partnered with global consulting firm McKinsey & Co., which worked pro bono, to compile and analyze the data for the report.

In addition to statistical overviews, the report showcases the work of local nonprofits. Some of the agencies highlighted work in what the OCCF describes as "safety net" issues of shelter, food and employment.

Among those helped by OCCF-related organizations is Tammy Philbin, 51, of Huntington Beach.

Philbin, whose husband died 22 years ago, is the sole caretaker for her developmentally disabled son, Robby, 27. Earlier this year Philbin, who has no health insurance, was diagnosed with stage 4 uterine cancer. She says doctor visits quickly ate up her $11,000 in savings.

Two hospitals declined surgery unless she paid for everything upfront. Philbin's Social Security pension and state-paid monthly salary for taking care of Robby at her home are too high for her to qualify for Medi-Cal or county-run medical services for the indigent.

She turned to Share Our Selves, a Costa Mesa-based nonprofit whose services include food, clothing, emergency financial aid and medical care.

Share Our Selves paid for Philbin's surgery and continues to foot the bill for her ongoing cancer treatment.

"I was blindsided," says Philbin, born and raised in Orange County, about the cancer diagnosis. "SOS has been great. I've never been one to ask for help, but they mean the world to me."

The Orange County Regional Center also has stepped in to provide nursing care for Robby eight hours a day as Philbin continues her chemotherapy treatment. Philbin says her prognosis is poor; remission is the best she can hope for. But she says she's determined to remain with her son and care for him as long as she can.

Officials at OCCF hope that by providing a central place for all county residents to learn about critical needs, and by providing a blueprint for how they can make a difference, people like Philbin can get help.

Said Mussallem: "What gives me optimism about the future of Orange County is that once aware of critical issues facing our neighbors, our engaged community leaders can and will create innovative solutions that will change lives."

Contact the writer: 714-796-6704 or ghardesty@ocregister.com

Source: http://www.ocregister.com/news/county-377734-orange-care.html

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