Homeless kids treated to Christmas party at South Coast Plaza

It was a night of fun and hope as South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa hosted a holiday party for more than 500 underprivileged children.

The “Sharing the Spirit” event Friday was organized by the Festival of Children Foundation and The Happiness Project, two Orange County nonprofits.

Homeless youths ages 3-18 from Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Garden Grove and Santa Ana were taken to South Coast Plaza on buses. Children were matched with a volunteer — an “elf” — who guided them through holiday activities, including photos with Santa Claus, carousel rides, arts and crafts, beauty stations and face painting.

“Seeing kids just being kids during the magic of holidays — it’s just a pure joy,” said Jennifer Friend, chief executive officer of Project Hope Alliance, a Costa Mesa-based organization dedicated to ending homelessness among children through educational and housing programs.

Friend, who lived off and on in a motel room during her middle school and high school years with her parents and three younger brothers, became a civil litigation partner. She practiced law for 15 years until about two years ago, when she took the opportunity to help homeless children and families.

There are more than 28,000 homeless children in Orange County, according to the county Department of Education.

More than 100 children served by Project Hope Alliance attended the party at South Coast Plaza.

“At Christmastime, it’s more apparent of what you don’t have,” Friend said. “Christmas is the songs and traditions around a home, and if you don’t have a home, you don’t have the ability to participate in Christmas.

“What this does is bring children to Christmas.”

After the mall closed to regular business, about 200 volunteers set up 35 stations that became a toyland. Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, founder of the Festival of Children Foundation, helped carry tables.

“It gives us the opportunity to share ourselves directly with the children who attend,” Daniels said. “We try and create a little magic for them, but we are as much touched by the magic as they are.”

Children sat at a caricature artist’s shop to have their faces drawn on paper. Others ran to frost and decorate cookies. Girls had their nails painted. Boys built small Lego models provided by the Lego store. And animal lovers affectionately interacted with therapy animals brought by the nonprofit Pet Partners.

For many kids, it was a big deal to spot a life-size Hello Kitty in the crowd.

“Oh my gosh, there she is!” a girl whispered to a friend as she pointed to the character designed by Japanese company Sanrio. Girls hugged the white kitten with a red bow and smiled for pictures. A boy named Javier couldn’t resist — he gave the costumed figure a kiss.

“It’s a great event for kids and to give back to the community,” said Manny Rocha, manager of Puzzle Zoo, a toy shop that offered crafts for children.

Kids had dinner from Chick-fil-A and Wahoo’s Fish Taco, and at the end of the evening, each child received an age- and gender-appropriate gift bag full of toys and school supplies.

For more information about the Festival of Children Foundation, visit festivalofchildren.org.

For more information on The Happiness Project, visit helpockids.org.