Around Town: Restaurant group closed by coronavirus crisis gives 2,000 pounds of food to pantries, shelters

Cafe Sevilla, a Spanish restaurant and tapas bar that has closed its three locations in Costa Mesa, Long Beach and San Diego during the coronavirus outbreak, has donated more than 2,000 pounds of available food to area pantries and homeless shelters.

The Costa Mesa-based Someone Cares Soup Kitchen and Share Our Selves, the Long Beach Ronald McDonald House, WomenShelter of Long Beach and Father Joe’s Villages in San Diego received 200 to 500 pounds of food each, according to a news release.

Orange Coast College donates 1,100 meals

Soon after the announcement earlier this month that Orange Coast College’s campus in Costa Mesa would be closed in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, faculty and volunteers packaged more than 1,100 meals to be donated to local families in need, as well as homeless shelters and assisted-living facilities.

With the unexpected campus closure, OCC’s food services program was left with more than 1,800 pounds of unused food that would normally be used in its campus dining facilities and culinary arts programs, the college said.

YMCA provides childcare for public services personnel

YMCA of Orange County is providing childcare at 28 locations across Orange County, including five in Huntington Beach, for YMCA members and nonmembers who are providing essential public services during the coronavirus pandemic, including first responders, emergency management personnel, military members, emergency dispatchers and law enforcement.

Locations are open from 6:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The cost varies depending on need, and financial assistance is available.

The Huntington Beach locations are at Moffett, Peterson, Smith, Hawes and Seacliff elementary schools.

“We are committed to strengthening our community, especially in times of need, and we have seen an overwhelming need for childcare support with widespread school closures,” Jeff McBride, chief executive of YMCA of Orange County, said in a statement. “As we all continue to adjust to this fluid and unpredictable situation, we want to offer as much support as possible to families that need us most right now.”

Safety measures include intensified cleaning of all door handles, surfaces, supplies, books and other items and areas throughout the day and overnight, the YMCA said. Staff supervises children on proper hygiene, including thorough and frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes and avoiding touching their eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.

Parents or guardians check in and pick up children outside childcare rooms. Children showing any signs of illness cannot attend.

For more information, visit ymcaoc.org/covid.

Residential memory care business donated to Alzheimer’s O.C.

The founder of Irvine Cottages, a residential memory care business with 12 locations spanning Newport Beach, Irvine and Mission Viejo, has donated the operation to Alzheimer’s Orange County.

The donation by Jacqueline DuPont will add full-time residential care for people with advanced Alzheimer’s and other memory disorders to the services provided by Alzheimer’s Orange County, said the latter’s president and chief executive, Jim McAleer.

Irvine Cottages provides activities, care and other services for residents and their families.

“I am delighted to make this donation and am confident that the environment of serenity, compassion and inspiration we have created for older adults at Irvine Cottages will continue to thrive,” said DuPont, a gerontologist who founded Irvine Cottages in 1996 and has been a member of the Alzheimer’s Orange County board for more than 20 years.

No changes will be made to Irvine Cottages’ name and operational structure, and all employees, programming, policies and procedures will remain, McAleer said.

Alzheimer’s Orange County, based in Irvine, will take ownership of Irvine Cottages in April. DuPont will remain as Irvine Cottages’ clinical coordinator for six months. McAleer will manage all staff and administration.

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