Friendly Center Inc

Providing stability, opportunity, and hope to children and families in poverty.

Since 1924, Friendly Center has stood alongside Orange County families facing poverty, evolving from serving migrant farm workers in the city of Orange to supporting working families across the region who are striving to make ends meet. Today, many of the families we serve are working hard yet still face food insecurity, housing instability, and limited access to opportunity.

Friendly Center provides more than 15 programs and services designed to meet families where they are and walk with them toward stability. Through our three pillars, (1) Food & Basic Needs, (2) Family Support, and (3) Education & Workforce Development, we offer not just immediate relief, but a path forward. As the need continues to grow, Friendly Center remains a trusted, community-based hub where families can access support with dignity, safety, and hope.

In 2025, Friendly Center served 3,021 individuals, resulting in 3,464 referrals across food distribution, housing support, education, and basic needs services. The organization distributed 245,909 pounds of food through its community mini-marts, provided 85,050 diapers to 1,440 individuals, and supported 922 families with essential services, including rental and utility assistance to prevent housing instability.

In addition to direct services, Friendly Center delivered education and workforce development programs designed to improve long-term economic stability. These integrated services position Friendly Center as a critical community hub addressing both immediate needs and pathways to self-sufficiency.

Demand continues to rise as families face economic strain and disruptions to public benefits. Sustaining this level of support requires investment in the people and infrastructure behind the work. Unrestricted funding for staffing and operations is essential, yet often the hardest to secure.

These funds support critical, behind-the-scenes needs such as transportation vans to pick up and deliver fresh produce, gas and logistics costs, technology and data tracking platforms, and the staffing required to operate education and workforce programs. Flexible support ensures we can continue providing consistent, wraparound care in a safe, trusted community space for the families who rely on us most.

Orange County: The largest populations served are the City of Orange, Buena Park, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Stanton, Brea, Yorba Linda, La Habra, Garden Grove, Tustin, and Fullerton.

As families in our community faced growing uncertainty, from government shutdown impacts and temporary SNAP disruptions to fear during increased ICE activity, Friendly Center stepped in to ensure no one was left without support. The need is greater than ever, and families don’t just need one solution, they need a trusted, one-stop center where food, resources, and education come together in a safe space. This is made possible because donors, community partners, and government leaders stepped up alongside us.

Through our two community mini-mart models (Friendly Mart) in the City of Orange and Buena Park, families access food with dignity, choice, and safety. We’ve expanded diaper distribution, provided emergency rental and utility assistance, and continued education programs to help families stabilize and move forward. Together, we are creating not just relief, but a stronger, more resilient community where families and children can truly thrive.

At a time when the number of those in need of resources and support grows, I am proud to serve as Board Chair of Friendly Center, an organization that has served an important role for many years in Orange County as an accessible, reliable place for low-income families to receive vital services.