NEWLAND COMMUNITIES PRESENTS $10,000 DONATION TO HOMEAID SAN DIEGO

On March 20, 2009, representatives from Newland Communities, developer of 4S Ranch, presented $10,000 to representatives from HomeAid San Diego, a leading non-profit organization that benefits the area’s transitionally homeless. The check presentation was conducted at Casa de Amparo’s Child Development Center in Oceanside. Casa de Amparo is one of several San Diego organizations benefiting from HomeAid’s financial support and assistance programs. 

The highlight of the check presentation was a Newland/HomeAid-hosted Spring Celebration party for the children of Casa de Amparo, complete with an old-fashioned Easter egg hunt, games, food, prizes and more.

“We are so thankful to receive this donation from Newland Communities,” said Alexis Parker, executive director of HomeAid San Diego. “The $10,000 generated from last fall’s Annual Life is good® Pumpkin Festival fundraiser held at 4S Ranch® will help support several HomeAid projects throughout San Diego, especially those that support children such as Casa de Amparo. This year's donation along with previous year's donations from Newland Communities has allowed us to continue our important mission—to fight homelessness.” &nbs­p;

In addition to providing temporary housing to abused and neglected children, Casa de Amparo conducts a range of programs and services that promote healing, growth and healthy relationships for children and families. Since its inception in 1978, Casa de Amparo has served more than 9,000 children and their families across San Diego County.

The $10,000 donation to HomeAid San Diego was generated by proceeds from the 2008 Life is good Pumpkin Festival held at the North County community of 4S Ranch. Positioned as a community-wide fundraiser, the Pumpkin Festival attracted over 3,000 families from 4S Ranch and other areas of San Diego County who helped to raise nearly $20,000 for national and local charities, including HomeAid San Diego. 

“We felt honored to present the $10,000 donation to HomeAid San Diego and are thrilled that the funds will go to support projects aimed at children,” said Genelle Lingua, marketing manager for Newland Communities, the nation’s leading developer of master-planned communities. “It’s incredible to witness this level of community support as 4S Ranch residents and other San Diegans directly contribute to HomeAid San Diego’s wonderful and important programs.” 

In addition to the Life is good Pumpkin Festival held at 4S Ranch last year, Newland Communities hosted seven other Life is good Pumpkin Festivals throughout the country last fall, resulting in about $200,000 raised for various charities. 

     ­     ­     The Life is good Pumpkin Festival is just one example of the many community events held at 4S Ranch throughout the year. From the Earth Month activities to the traditional 4^th of July celebration, the community of 4S Ranch provides residents with numerous opportunities for social interaction with neighbors and friends, all while enjoying the exceptional amenities that 4S Ranch has to offer.

4S Ranch is a dynamic, fully-engaged master-planned community located in North County San Diego. The community features extraordinary amenities, including an expansive 22-acre community park with a Boys & Girls Club, two elementary schools, one middle school, a new high school (scheduled to open fall 2009), neighborhood parks, miles of winding trails and meandering pathways, a fire station, a public library, and 4S Connect, the community-wide Intranet. The community also includes the 4S Commons, a 53-acre shopping, dining, apartment living, and office space center. www.4sranch.com

Newland Communities is a privately owned company that creates residential and urban mixed-use communities from coast-to-coast. With expertise in creating a special sense of community, Newland brings to life the unique history, culture and traditions of the land they develop. They believe it is their responsibility to create enduring, healthier communities so people may live life in ways that matter most to them. Newland currently is developing or managing nearly 40 projects located in 14 states. www.newlandcommunities.com

HomeAid San Diego, one of 22 chapters of HomeAid America, Inc., was founded in March 2002 with the support of local building and real estate industry organizations. HomeAid San Diego partners with the real estate industry and other San Diego nonprofits to build multi-unit housing that serve temporarily homeless families and individuals in the community. HomeAid San Diego has proudly completed 8 projects that house high school foster youth, foster youth who have transitioned out of the foster care system, abused women and their children, veterans, women over 50, seniors, and abused and neglected children. Founded in 1989, HomeAid is the nation’s largest provider of housing for the temporarily homeless. Through the generosity of America’s builders, their trade partners, financial institutions and private and public donors, HomeAid has built more than 175 shelter facilities around the country, with an additional 52 projects in development. These projects total nearly 1,000,000 square feet of space representing more than $130 million in project construction costs, of which $77.4 million has been donated by the building industry. To date, more than 100,000 people have received shelter and services in HomeAid built facilities. To learn more about HomeAid San Diego, visit www.homeaidsd.org.  ­