Fifth Annual Event Continues to Expand

Santa Ana, CA -- (SBWire) -- 08/23/2012 --KidWorks, a Santa Ana-based non-profit that serves at-risk children and teens, today announced that over 1,000 children, teens and parents attended the fifth annual Townsend Raitt Street Fiesta and Resource Fair, held August 18 in central Santa Ana.

The free event was a result of the planning efforts by the Townsend-Raitt Street Task Force. This partnership of residents, non-profits, churches, businesses, city, and county agencies has been working together for six years to improve the community. The California Endowment, JPMorgan Chase, Orange Housing, and C&C Development sponsored the fair. Backpacks were also given as prizes for the children because of a generous donation from Outdoor Products.

“KidWorks provides programs all year around, and we put extra emphasis on summer when children and teens are not in school and more susceptible to getting involved with risky behaviors,” said Ava Steaffens, KidWorks’ President & Chief Executive Officer. “The fiesta and resource fair is one of many activities offered in the community to provide safe and wholesome activities as an alternative to the dangerous temptations present on the streets of the at-risk neighborhoods of Santa Ana,”

The event organizers were KidWorks, America On Track, the City of Santa Ana, Coalition of OC Community Health Centers, Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Latino Health Access, and the office of OC Supervisor Janet Nguyen.

For the first time the event included free mobile clinics operated by Illumination Foundation and Birth Choice as well as a Recycling Pavilion with many of the event organizers in addition to Inside the Outdoors, Discovery Science Center and Pretend City.

Santa Ana Councilmember David Benavides presented an award of appreciation to Alexis Rocha of TKO Boxing for his participation in the Junior Olympics. Supervisor Nguyen recognized the KidWorks’ Parents Council for their contributions to the Townsend Raitt Task Force and for five successful Townsend Street fiestas.