Want to Volunteer in OC for Thanksgiving? Need Holiday Food & Meal Resources? I got you! Here are some details and resources - be sure to share, too!

If you’re looking for a way to feel connected this Thanksgiving — maybe you don’t have big plans, or you want to give back — there are places around OC that could really use a hand. Organizations like Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, CAPOC, Orange County Rescue Mission, and The Hub OC are often looking for volunteers to help with food distribution, meal‑service, and community support. Even an hour or two can make a huge difference to someone in need.”

I encourage you to check the organizations’ websites or call ahead — many volunteer slots fill fast around the holidays.


What People Should Know Before Volunteering


Sign up early — holiday volunteer spots are often in high demand.


Some places require a minimum age or that minors be accompanied by adults (especially at food banks).


A small commitment — even a few hours — helps. Many of these groups welcome individuals, couples, or groups of friends.


Volunteering doesn’t have to be big or permanent to matter. It can be a one‑time thing on Thanksgiving or a longer‑term commitment.
Orange County Rescue Mission — They host a Thanksgiving‑day meal (and often dinner‑after) and invite volunteers to help with setup, kitchen help, serving and cleanup. Orange County Rescue Mission


Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County — They regularly need help with sorting, packing, and distributing food — especially during high‑need seasons like Thanksgiving and the holidays. Second Harvest OC+1


CAPOC (Community Action Partnership of Orange County) — Offers volunteering opportunities such as assembling food boxes or helping with food‑bank operations; good for individuals or groups. Capoc+1




Holiday Food & Meal Resources — Orange County (OC)

If you or someone you know needs a free meal or food assistance this holiday season, here are trusted organizations and food‑pantries around OC. Most are free of charge — no complex requirements. If you don’t know where to start, calling 211OC (dial 2‑1‑1) is often the fastest way to find help near your ZIP code.
Key Food Banks & Pantries

Organization / ProgramLocation / Contact InfoWhat They Offer / NotesSecond Harvest Food Bank of Orange County (Feed OC) Irvine HQ: 8014 Marine Way, Irvine, CA 92618 • Phone: (949) 653‑2900 Second Harvest OC+1 Network of nearly 300 community partners that distribute free groceries — no cost, no strict qualifications. Use their “Find Food” map (by city/ZIP) or call 2‑1‑1. Second Harvest OC+1
South County Outreach (SCO) 7 Whatney, Suite B, Irvine, CA 92618 • Phone: (949) 380‑8144 South County Outreach Orange County+1 Monthly “Food Market” — pick up groceries (fresh produce, staples, dairy, etc.). Good for families in south OC. South County Outreach Orange County+1
Share Our Selves (SOS) 1550 Superior Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 • Phone: (949) 270‑2100 South County Outreach Orange County+1 Offers free groceries for individuals/families; often ramps up support around holidays. South County Outreach Orange County
Serve the People Community Food Bank 1206 E. 17th St., Santa Ana, CA 92701 • Phone: (714) 352‑2911 South County Outreach Orange County+1 Provides food bags and fresh produce; operates set distribution days — good for regular community support. OC Health Care Agency+1

How to Access Help

Visit Feed OC’s website and use their “Find Food” map by city, ZIP, or pantry name. Their directory is updated frequently. Second Harvest OC+1


Call or text 2‑1‑1 (211OC) — Orange County’s 24/7 referral line — to get connected to open pantries, hot‑meal programs, holiday distributions, or other social‑service supports. Second Harvest OC+1


For monthly support, some pantries like South County Outreach require a valid ID + short intake form. It helps to bring some form of ID and proof of address. South County Outreach Orange County+1


Many of these resources accept walk‑ins. For holiday‑day meals or special distributions, it’s best to check websites or call ahead — slots may fill quickly.
Quick Contacts


Second Harvest Food Bank OC: (949) 653‑2900 — feedoc.org


South County Outreach: (949) 380‑8144 — sco-oc.org


Share Our Selves (SOS): (949) 270‑2100 — shareourselves.org


Serve the People: (714) 352‑2911


24/7 Referral & Resource Line: 2‑1‑1 (or visit 211OC.org)



If you or someone you know might go without a warm meal or groceries this week — you’ve got options.

• Use Feed OC’s pantry map or call 2‑1‑1 to find your nearest free-food site.
• Walk-in friendly pantries like South County Outreach or Share Our Selves often have fresh food, staples, and holiday support.
• It only takes a call or a short drive — and no cost, no judgment.

The Hub OC — Their seasonal holiday/Thanksgiving‑related programs sometimes call for volunteers or donations; may be a good fit for listeners looking for easier, community‑level involvement.

Wednesday November 26th at 9:00am - NYT Bestselling author & environmentalist, David Gessner sounds the alarm

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to today's show

David Gessner's latest & greatest, Return of The Osprey, is a memoir, tribute to a once-endangered species, and natural history. Return of the Osprey recounts the many discoveries David Gessner made when he immersed himself for an entire nesting season in the lives of the ospreys that had returned to his seagirt corner of Cape Cod.

The osprey, hailed by Roger Tory Peterson as the symbol of the New England coast, all but vanished during the 1950s and '60s because of the ravages of DDT. In the next few decades, however, the birds returned, slowly at first and then in a rush. Writing with passion, humor, and a reverence for the natural world, Gessner interweaves the stories of the nesting osprey pairs he observed with his own readjustment to life on the windblown, beautiful, and increasingly developed landscape he had known as a child.

With a new preface from Gessner and foreword by Helen Macdonald, Return of the Osprey celebrates one of nature's most remarkable creatures, as well as our own limitless capacity for wonder.

RETURN OF THE OSPREY:

A SEASON OF FLIGHT AND WONDER

By David Gessner

25TH Anniversary Edition


The osprey, hailed by Roger Tory Peterson as the symbol of the New England coast, all but vanished during the 1950s and '60s because of the ravages of DDT. In the next few decades, however, the birds returned, slowly at first and then in a rush. Writing with passion, humor, and a reverence for the natural world, Gessner interweaves the stories of the nesting osprey pairs he observed with his own readjustment to life on the windblown, beautiful, and increasingly developed landscape he had known as a child.

With a new preface from Gessner and foreword by Helen Macdonald, Return of the Osprey celebrates one of nature's most remarkable creatures, as well as our own limitless capacity for wonder.

A LETTER FROM DAVID GESSNER

Twenty-five years ago I published a book called Return of the Osprey. The Boston Globe called it a “classic of American Nature Writing,” and chose it as one of its top ten books of the year, and, to my delight, it has managed to stick around for a while. Ospreys are magnificent bandit-masked raptors known for their daring high dives to capture fish. Once threatened and now threatened again, in recent years they have come to define our coasts. Return of the Osprey tells the story of six months immersed in the world of the these birds, and my evolution from an osprey beginner to someone steeped in osprey behavior, lore, and science. “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe,” John Muir wrote, and I quickly learned that ospreys are hitched to everything, including the health of marine ecosystems, the founding of the Environmental Defense Fund, and the impacts of DDT (and its banning), and, not incidentally, my well-being.

Now, in 2025, Cornell University is putting out a 25th anniversary edition with a new preface, a spectacular cover photo by Mark Smith, and a beautiful introduction by Helen Macdonald, the author of H is for Hawk. Ms. Macdonald writes: “David Gessner has hugely influenced how I write about nature. In fact, without him I might not have tried to write about it at all. There are few writers with his facility to turn the searching eye of the naturalist upon themselves, able to muse just as keenly on nature itself as what nature and place can do to, and for, a human mind and soul. The first time I came across his work I was astonished—and delighted.”

The book describes a glorious comeback. In the ‘60s and ‘70s the osprey population on Cape Cod and other coastal areas on the East Coast was decimated by DDT. When the book came out, osprey populations were booming. Now, twenty-five years later, ospreys are threatened again as falling numbers of successful nests in the Chesapeake Bay and other key osprey habitats point to a new culprit: a steep reduction of key fish species, like menhaden, that the birds depend on to survive and feed their young. My hope is that we will once again rise to the challenge, as we did in the ‘60s, and so not lose these magnificent raptors.

I also hope that Return of the Osprey will endure, like other Cape Cod classics such as The Outermost House. I’ll let Helen Macdonald have the last word:

“Return of the Osprey is a work of enormous pedagogical value in addition to being an exquisite natural history of a raptor and its locale. It’s the story of a man who taught himself to see, taught himself to know, discovering all kinds of things about himself and the wider ways that humans relate to wildness and the world around us.”


ABOUT DAVID GESSNER

David Gessner is the author of thirteen books that blend a love of nature, humor, memoir, and environmentalism, including the New York Times bestselling, All the Wild That Remains, Return of the Osprey, Sick of Nature and Leave It As It Is: 

A Journey Through Theodore Roosevelt’s American Wilderness.

Gessner is a professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where he is also the founder and Editor-in-Chief of the literary magazine, Ecotone. His own magazine publications include pieces in the New York Times Magazine, Outside, Sierra, Audubon, Orion, and many other magazines, and his prizes include a Pushcart Prize and the John Burroughs Award for Best Nature Essay for his essay “Learning to Surf.” He has also won the Association for Study of Literature and the Environment’s award for best book of creative writing, and the Reed Award for Best Book on the Southern Environment. In 2017 he hosted the National Geographic Explorer show, “The Call of the Wild.”


He is married to the novelist Nina de Gramont, whose latest book is The Christie Affair.



PRAISE FOR RETURN OF THE OSPREY

“Gessner’s witnessing of an osprey’s dive—a wing-folded plunge of 50 feet or more, talons extended at the last moment to spear a fish and carry it to the surface and then aloft—is the obvious high point of his season observing ospreys in Brewster and Dennis and the nearby waters of Cape Cod. But it is the mark of how fine a nature writer Gessner is that his description of the more prosaic activity of nest-building is as perfectly realized as the accounts of the thrilling dives. Return of the Osprey can, on those grounds alone, claim a place among the classics of American nature writing.…A reader could put “Return of the Osprey” aside at this point and feel the satisfaction that comes at the end of a memorable book. But Gessner has only been waiting for his chance for him, and the ospreys, to dazzle. And when it comes, Gessner puts you right there.” --The Boston Globe

“This beautifully told story of a season with birds of prey makes for engrossing reading as we learn about osprey life from a master essayist.” ---Booklist (Boxed starred review)

“It was David Gessner’s good fortune to become obsessively interested in ospreys, and it is ours that he writes about them with such clarity, elegance, and passion that this book becomes an instant classic of natural history. It is also a work of great spiritual power...This is a book to read, reread, and remember for a long time.”--John S. Major, Senior Editor, Book-of-the-Month Club

“Gessner’s Osprey soars with detail and a sense of wonder.”--The Miami Herald

“A year well spent and carefully recorded: heedful, respectful and filled with the romance of being out of doors.” --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A naturalist’s jewel…Gessner provides insights into the history of the great sea bird of prey that will delight both the committed birder and the general reader.”--Publisher’s Weekly

“Gessner’s Osprey soars with detail and a sense of wonder By the end of the book, you feel as if you’ve been out there with Gessner much of the time, shivering in the woods, mucking through the marsh, kayaking upriver to an isolated nest site. It’s strangely satisfying, imparting a sense of the profound. And you don’t even have to venture outdoors to experience it.” --The San Diego Union-Tribune

Under the Stars, a film by Michelle Danner, stars TONI COLLETTE - “Audrey,” ANDY GARCIA - “Giacomo,” ALEX PETTYFER - “Ian,” and EVA DE DOMINICI - “Arianna.” Michelle joins Janeane LIVE on KUCI 88.9fm

LOGLINE: Sometimes the greatest love story is your own. 

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to this week's show with Michelle Danner

TRAILER

Under the Stars follows a struggling romance novelist in a passionless relationship. A trip to Italy for inspiration leads him to the girl of his dreams. 

LONG SYNOPSIS: A young English writer, Ian, after discovering that his girlfriend has been cheating on him with his editor, is encouraged by his aunt, Audrey, to undertake a trip with her to Puglia, to find inspiration and thus finally complete his novel. Once they arrive at La Masseria where they will stay, they meet Giacomo, the owner, and his daughter, Arianna. 

An initially stormy relationship will transform into an overwhelming love story and a journey of rediscovery of oneself. Under the Stars is a funny, heartfelt romantic comedy about love, truth, beauty, human connection, and the romance genre itself. The contrasts between our protagonists and their dynamics, as well as that of the two main settings: the bustle of London and the serenity of Puglia - facilitate the bond that develops between them, and the exploration of what people look for in others and from their own lives. It's a love story among young and old, with genuine and unusual humor, which will entertain audiences of all ages. 

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT – Michelle Danner 

Under the Stars is a fun and heartfelt romantic comedy about love, truth, beauty, family, human connection, and in many ways the romance genre itself. The contrasts between Ian and Ariannaa, as well as the two main settings - the bustle of London and the serenity of Puglia - allow for the bond that develops between them to explore what people look for in each other and out of life. Puglia is shot in a cinematic style that flows with authentic Italian music and plays a crucial role in the world of the story. 

The family home of La Massaria with all of its life and rich history is the cornerstone of all that unfolds over the course of the film. It is a setting made for romance. This is a sincere love story of the young and not-so-young with great humor and heart that will entertain and move audiences across generations. Romance films are made to give people hope about love, and watching these two strangers genuinely form that tender connection is something I hope it inspires our audience. In the tradition of Under the Tuscan Sun and Letters to Juliet - with plenty of inspiration owed to the Before trilogy - this is a film that will take you someplace else where people are able to find that love, because it’s never too late to start another chapter.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS: 

MICHELLE DANNER, Director 

Michelle Danner is a film and stage director, an author, and a world-renowned acting coach. She teaches her Golden Box Acting workshops in South America, Europe, Toronto, Vancouver, Dubai, New York, Sydney and Australia. It was her father, Alexander Valdez, who opened the very first William Morris Agency in Paris, France, that instilled a strong passion and work ethic that has stayed with her throughout her life. 

Michelle has taught acting for the last 30 years and has worked with many A-List Actors privately and on set including: Chris Rock, Gerard Butler, Seth MacFarlane, Penelope Cruz, Melanie Brown, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Verne Troyer, Grant Bowler, Kate Del Castillo, Michael Pena, Isla Fisher, Common, Jennifer Grant, Salma Hayek, Chris Martin, Brian McKnight, James Franco, Marcia Cross, Christian Slater, Catherine Bell, Zooey Deschanel, Gabrielle Union, Justin Chatwin, Jennifer Coolidge, Justine Wadell, Rob Estes, Rick Fox, Henry Cavill, Michelle Rodriguez, Seychelle Gabriel, Rita Ora and many others. 

Voted favorite acting coach by Backstage readers. She was brought in for her expert coaching on the WB show The Starlet and was featured with Andy Richter on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien. Michelle trained extensively in Paris and New York with Stella Adler and Uta Hagen. She was the Managing Director of the Larry Moss Studio since its inception in Los Angeles for 20 years. 

 She is the Founding Director of the Creative Center for the Arts (formerly known as the Edgemar Center for the Arts) and raised $1.3 million to construct the two theaters and the art gallery at the Center. At the opening ceremony, Steven Spielberg commented, “Here we have a venue that can turn out some extremely experienced, daring and resourceful artists.” 

She served as Artistic Director of the Edgemar Center for the Arts for the last 20 years, now Creative Center for the Arts, and teaches ongoing classes at the Michelle Danner Studio and the Los Angeles Acting Conservatory. Michelle has directed and acted in over thirty plays and musicals in New York and Los Angeles. Her favorite acting credits include Tennessee William’s The Rose Tattoo, which garnered critic picks and awards including best actress; House of Yes, Bright Ideas, Ibsen's Ghosts , and One White Crow . 

Her highlights at Edgemar have been pioneering new works that include The Night of the Black Cat , a world premiere and winner of the 2005 Best Musical of the Year at the Los Angeles Music Awards, which had a revival as recently as 2016. She directed the world premiere of Mental the Musical, winner of several 17th Annual TicketHolder awards for acting and musical score. She wrote and directed the world premiere of You're on the Air , an improv based comedy which is in development to become a movie. 

She directed the west coast premiere of Hello Herman by John Buffalo Mailer and co-directed Jane Fonda in The Court of Public Opinion starring Academy Award and Golden Globe Nominee Anne Archer. The play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang won 5 Scenies, StageSceneLA Awards, including for best actress in a Comedy for Michelle’s portrayal of Sonia. 

Her acting film credits include playing the part of Alexandra, the psychic, in the feature film Ovation directed by Henry Jaglom as well as Mrs. Mack in Reach directed by Leif Rokesh. Michelle also produced and acted in the award-winning short film Dos Corazones, which premiered at the Nashville Film Festival and went on to win Best Cinematography & Audience Favorite at the Malibu Film Festival. 

In 2006, she made her feature film directing debut How to go Out on a Date in Queens, which was nominated and won four L.A. Film Awards including Best Director. It starred Jason Alexander, Esai Morales, Ron Perlman, Kimberly Williams, Rob Estes and Alison Eastwood. Her second film Hello Herman starring Norman Reedus (AMC’s The Walking Dead), Martha Higareda, and Garrett Backstrom. 

The film premiered at the Hollywood Film Festival and had its international premiere at the Monaco Charity Film Festival where it won the award for social relevance. It opened theatrically nationwide and was distributed by Warner Brothers. The Bandit Hound, a family comedy starring Catherine Bell, Lou Ferigno, Judd Nelson, Paul Sorvino, and Verne Troyer, was released in 2016. In 2017, Michelle shot a short documentary about Mariana Rizo Sigueme, a transgender Mexican Woman with a fascinating story to tell. 

The Documentary premiered at the Cinema At The Edge Film Festival in 2018 and has since been shown in several prominent LGBT and Latin Film Festival all across the US, including Indianapolis LGBT, Tampa Bay Latin and OutFest Fusion in Los Angeles. Michelle’s film, Bad Impulse, premiered in the US in December 2020 with a wonderful cast including Paul Sorvino, Sonya Walger, Grant Bowler and Dan Lauria. Bad Impulse is a psychological thriller that successfully played at many Film Festivals, winning both Audience and Jury awards including: Audience Award for Best Feature Film at the Golden State Film Festival, Best Director for a Feature Film at the Culver City Film festival and Best Feature Film at the London International and Manhattan Film Festivals. 

Michelle’s film, The Runner, an action-thriller, is starring Cameron Douglas, Elisabeth Rohm, Nadji Jeter, Eric Balfour, Kerri Medder, Jessica Amlee and Edouard Phillipponnat and was released by Saban Films in 2022. This is a very personal story about children getting lost in the war on drugs and paying the price for it. The Runner premiered at the Cinequest Film Festival in March 2021 and screened at the Houston WorldFest as well as Internationally at the Ischia Global Film Festival, winning Best Independent Feature Film as well as best Cinematography at the Toronto Independent Film Festival and Best Director at the Vancouver Film Festival, Paris Play Festival, Milan Gold Award and L'age d'Or International Arthouse Film Festival. 

Her latest Film, Miranda’s Victim, was filmed in New Jersey in the summer of 2022 and will premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in early 2023 starring Abigail Breslin, Ryan Phillippe, Luke Wilson, Emily VanCamp, Mireille Enos, Josh Bowman, Andy Garcia and Donald Sutherland. It’s a riveting true story of the creation of the Miranda Rights told from the perspective of the victim. 

She filmed the family comedy The Italians during the strike with a SAG interim agreement, starring Matthew Daddarion, Rob Estes, Perrey Reeves, Olivia Luccardi, Lainia Kazan and Abigail Breslin. It premiered at the ITALIA Film Festival in March 2024 to a sold out crowd and has been winning awards at film festivals around the country and was released on Amazon Prime Video in Spring 2025. She is currently filming the Rom-Com Starstruck and is in pre-production for a Sci-Fi thriller, Helios, a space thriller and, Party Crasher. She is putting the finishing touches on her acting book, The Golden Box , which will be released this year as well as the one-woman show A Ticket to the Circus, starring Anne Archer, about the life of Norris Church Mailer, the wife of Norman Mailer. 

Spread joy this holiday season by volunteering throughout Orange County and wherever you are! In a funk and overwhelmed? You are not alone. NAMI has some local and national resources to help you now and throughout the year!

Funks. They hit hard around the holidays — stress, anxiety, depression. Life post-pandemic? Yeah… it’s been a ride. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to deal with it alone. One of the fastest ways to shake the funk is to step outside yourself and help someone else. Even a small act of kindness — volunteering, checking in on a friend, or just listening — can shift your mindset. Helping others doesn’t just make their day; it can lift your own spirit, too.

And if you’re struggling, remember you’re not alone. I belong to NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and they have numerous resources, support groups, and programs to help anyone facing mental health challenges. Reach out — there’s support, and there’s hope.


If you’re feeling overwhelmed or stuck in that holiday funk or any funk at any time of year, you don’t have to face it alone. I belong to NAMI — the National Alliance on Mental Illness — and they offer real help:

Call their HelpLine at 1‑800‑950‑NAMI (6264)

Or text NAMI to 62640 for support

If you're in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

And for folks in Orange County specifically, you can call or text (714) 991‑6412 — that’s the NAMI OC WarmLine, open 24/7.

You’re not alone, okay? There is help. There is hope.”

2025 Holiday Volunteer Opportunities in Orange County

Orange County Rescue Mission

They host Thanksgiving Day meal services (lunch and dinner) where volunteers help with serving, setup, and cleanup. Rescue Mission+1


For Christmas, they run a “Christmas Day Celebration” on December 25, which often needs volunteers. Rescue Mission

To sign up, go to their volunteer events page. Rescue Mission


HomeAid Orange County

They have year-round volunteering, including at their Family CareCenter: serving dinner, making care packages, cleaning, organizing, landscaping, etc. HomeAid Orange County

For the holidays, they host a Holiday Food Drive: from Nov 17 to Dec 5, 2025, they collect non-perishable food and need volunteers to help sort food during the drive-thru drop-off. HomeAid Orange County

To volunteer: sign up via their website / email their Engagement Coordinator (Natasha) for group or individual volunteer shifts. HomeAid Orange County


Second Harvest Food Bank (Feed OC)

They welcome volunteers in these areas: Distribution Center (Irvine), Harvest Solutions Farm, and Founders Farm. Second Harvest OC+1

Age requirements: 7+ for farm volunteering (with chaperone for younger kids), 13+ for the Distribution Center. Second Harvest OC

To volunteer, you can submit a group reservation request or sign up individually. Second Harvest OC+1


Operation Santa Claus / Senior Santa & Friends

This is the County of Orange’s gift-drive program for children in foster care, disadvantaged families, and seniors. County of Orange Social Services Agency+1

Volunteers help with gift sorting, “angel tag” drives, and other prep work. County of Orange Social Services Agency+1

Sign-ups open in mid-late November via SignUpGenius. County of Orange Social Services Agency

Must be 18+ to volunteer in this program. County of Orange Social Services Agency

You can also apply through the County SSA Volunteer Application to be part of this or other SSA programs. County of Orange Social Services Agency


Office on Aging / Rebuilding Together

Via the OC Office on Aging, volunteers can assist older adults, e.g., through the “You Are Not Alone” (Y.A.N.A.) program. Office on Aging

Rebuilding Together Orange County (affiliated with Office on Aging) does home repair work for low-income or elderly homeowners — this could be especially meaningful during the holiday season. Office on Aging

Tips to Maximize Your Holiday Volunteering

1. Sign up early: Many of these programs (especially Operation Santa Claus and holiday meals) fill up quickly.
   
   
2. Be flexible: If you can’t help exactly on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day, there’s still great need the week before or after.
   
   
3. Volunteer as a team: Bring friends, family, or coworkers — many organizations welcome group shifts and you’ll make a bigger impact.
   
   
4. Understand age requirements: Some programs (like Second Harvest) allow younger volunteers, but others (like Operation Santa Claus) require you to be 18+.
   
   
5. Prepare for background checks: For programs run by the County (SSA / Operation Santa Claus), you may need to fill out a volunteer application and go through orientation

November 22 is Survivor Day, a day dedicated to those who’ve lost someone to suicide. It’s sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Anjali Bhai American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Board Member for Southern California Tri-Counties Chapter, Orange County Area joins Janeane on KUCI 88.9fm

LISTEN to today's show

Hey friends — just a moment on Get the Funk Out to talk about an important day coming up: November 22 is Survivor Day, a day dedicated to those who’ve lost someone to suicide. It’s sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and happens each year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. 

It’s a chance to connect, share, heal and remember — because when life feels like a bumpy roller‑coaster ride, those moments of community matter.
If this sounds like something you’d benefit from, you can register to attend one of the many local or virtual events. Head to AFSP.org/SurvivorDay where you’ll find a list of gatherings and the virtual event details. 

Whether you’ve lost someone recently or years ago, or you just want to show up in support — you’re not alone.


So mark your calendar for November 22, and take that step. I’m Janeane and this was Get the Funk Out — reminding you that even through our funks, we can find healing together.

Southern California Tri-Counties | AFSP

SHUCKED is the Tony Award®-winning musical comedy that The Wall Street Journal calls “flat out hilarious!” and it's coming to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Quinn VanAntwerp portrays Gordy in Shucked and joins Janeane LIVE on today's show!

WHAT THE SHUCK IS SHUCKED?

An unlikely hero,

an unscrupulous con man,

and a battle for the heart & soil of a small town.

LISTEN
to today's show with Quinn VanAntwerp

SHUCKED is the Tony Award®-winning musical comedy The Wall Street Journal calls “flat out hilarious!” Featuring a book by Tony Award winner Robert Horn (Tootsie), a score by the Grammy® Award-winning songwriting team of Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, and directed by Tony Award winner Jack O’Brien (Hairspray), this corn-fed, corn-bred American musical is sure to satisfy your appetite for great musical theater.

Tickets: Shucked | Broadway at Segerstrom Center for the Arts

More: SHUCKED A New Musical | Official Site

Quinn is thrilled to be back in the corn after having been an original cast member of Shucked on Broadway.

He is best known as the longest running Bob Gaudio in Jersey Boys history with over 3000 performances with the Broadway, Touring, and Toronto Casts.

Other credits include the Broadway company of The Play That Goes Wrong.

TV/FILM: “Better Call Saul,” “The Affair,” “Blue Bloods,” “The Good Wife,” “FBI,” “I’m Dying Up Here,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,”


“Elementary,” “Shades of Blue,” “Nurse Jackie,” “The Following,” "Four Christmases" & "Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

Coming up Wednesday 10/29 @ 9:00am - Susan Parmelee, LCSW – Executive Director Wellness & Prevention Center

Susan Parmelee, LCSW – Executive Director Wellness & Prevention Center 

LISTEN to today's show

Susan is one of the founders of the Wellness & Prevention Center. A graduate of Cornell University and San Diego State University, Susan has been working in non-profits and mental health care for over 20 years. Susan is dedicated to access for all to quality prevention and mental health services. 

The Wellness & Prevention Center provides prevention education and no fee mental health services in Capistrano Unified School District middle and high schools and throughout the community. Susan has witnessed an increase in teens diagnosed with anxiety and depression and is striving to help communities in south Orange County target the causes of this increase while helping teens and their families access appropriate care. 

Susan and her team at the Wellness & Prevention Center have opened the first allcove in south Orange County in 2025. See allcove .org for more information.


Susan partnered with Dr. Stephen Schueller to implement allcove in Orange County. They work together to secure funding, director operations, and ensure model fidelity. allcove San Juan Capistrano (located at 27125 Calle Arroyo) is part of a model developed at the Stanford Center For Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing and is inspired by Australia’s headspace program.

Allcove San Juan Capistrano welcomes youth ages 12-25 regardless of insurance and there are no fees for services or activities. Doors are open for youth to drop-in Monday through Friday noon to 7PM and Saturday 10AM - 4PM. For more information about social activities and services please follow us on Instagram at Allcove SanJuanCapistrano
You can also reach the team at 949-234-8116 info@allcove.org

Press Release

NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOTE TO EDITORS: PHOTO AVAILABLE AT https://news.uci.edu/2022/01/11/uci-leads-development-of-drop-in-mental-wellness-centers-for-o-c-youth/ Contact: Cara Capuano Mimi Ko Cruz 949-501-9192 714-932-8589 ccapuano@uci.edu mkcruz@uci.edu UCI leads development of drop-in mental wellness centers for O.C. youth Multiple county partners collaborate to implement innovative allcove care model Irvine, Calif., Jan. 11, 2022 — Orange County will be home to new youth drop-in centers offering wellness services to those between the ages of 12 and 25. Endorsed by Orange County to apply for a $2 million grant from California’s Mental Health Services Oversight & Accountability Commission, the University of California, Irvine will partner with the Wellness & Prevention Center in south Orange County to establish and administer youth drop-in centers following the allcove model. The Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing created the allcove model based on observations and studies of youth mental health programs around the world. The allcove mission is to develop “an innovative network of integrated youth mental health centers designed with, by and for youth that reduce stigma, embrace mental wellness, increase community connection and provide access to culturally responsive services.” “The easiest way to think about what allcove is trying to create is ‘one door for all,’” said Stephen Schueller, UCI associate professor of psychological science and director of the project. “We know a lot of different things contribute to well-being: education, being well physically and mentally, being connected with your community. There is a desire to bring all these elements together to create a place where youth can come to receive mental and behavioral health services but also be presented with a variety of different opportunities to help support their wellness, like educational workshops and occupational preparation.” Schueller, who also directs UCI’s Wellness Initiative in Social Ecology, will head the allcove team in Orange County and oversee an allcove center on the UCI campus. The Wellness & Prevention Center will lead another site in south Orange County. Multiple partners will participate in the project, including CHOC Children’s Hospital, the Orange County Health Care Agency, Insight Psychotherapy Group, the Capistrano Unified School District, Laura’s House and the James Henry Ransom Foundation. During the grant period, UCI and the WPC will explore opportunities for additional locations to augment the outreach of the allcove model across Orange County. “My vision is that all our young people understand what allcove is, why they should go there and that they feel welcome. I want every area of Orange County to be served. The bigger goal is the entire state of California, and Stanford’s goal is the entire country,” said Susan Parmelee, executive director of the WPC. The first two allcove centers opened in June 2021 in two California locations, Palo Alto and San Jose. Five additional allcove projects have been funded by California’s Mental Health Services Oversight & Accountability Commission, with San Mateo, Sacramento and two Los Angeles County sites joining Orange County as hosts of the next allcove centers. “We’re glad the Orange County community has the opportunity to develop two new allcove centers and are excited to support their implementation,” said Dr. Steven Adelsheim, clinical professor of psychiatry & behavioral sciences at Stanford and director of the Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing. The allcove vision is a place “where every youth belongs, chooses the support they need and thrives.” Those from 16 to 25 years old will inform all decisions via youth advisory groups at both Orange County locations. In preparing the proposal, Schueller, in partnership with the Orange County Health Care Agency’s behavioral health services unit, conducted surveys and focus groups with more than 600 UCI students to solicit their input. To continue student input on the campus center as it develops, the Wellness Initiative in Social Ecology has organized a peer advisory collective. The WISE PAC is led by Phoebe Pham, a junior majoring in psychological science and social ecology who also serves on the Central allcove Team Youth Advisory Group, which includes young people across California. “We want to be able to provide resources to our fellow students and youth from the community, giving them guidance on how to get started on treating anxiety or mental health, because students have difficulty seeking help,” Pham said. “I think the allcove center will make the help-seeking process less intimidating overall, especially knowing that the first people you’re meeting are other young people who can relate to you.” The allcove centers will also provide an excellent training opportunity for UCI students in psychology at the undergraduate and graduate levels, especially those within UCI’s new clinical psychology Ph.D. program. With its unique design, the allcove model can offer future mental healthcare providers experience in what Schueller called the “next generation” of services. “One-on-one therapy will not solve the problem alone,” he said. “There’s too much demand, and there’s never going to be enough supply. Allcove presents an innovative way of thinking about bringing things under one roof and meeting the needs of a focused group – youth and young people – that’s really in need. We need to figure out better ways to provide services that are developed for them, by them and with them, so I think training people in these new ways of care delivery is critical to how we solve these problems.” About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu. About allcove: Pursuing a vision where every youth belongs, chooses the support they need and thrives, allcove is developing an innovative network of integrated youth mental health centers designed with, by and for youth that reduce stigma, embrace mental wellness, increase community connection and provide access to culturally responsive services. Allcove centers are anchored in a model of care that considers the holistic needs of young people. We welcome those between the ages of 12 and 25, providing a place to take a moment of pause and access a range of services that include mental health, physical health, substance use, peer support, family support, and supported education and employment. Allcove centers are designed to create meaningful, positive experiences for every young person who comes through our doors. For more information, please visit allcove.org.