Hunger

A group of teens at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Laguna Beach got a taste of starvation on Feb. 25. In collaboration with World Vision, a Christian nonprofit dedicated to eradicating poverty, local teens spent 30 hours without food to understand what it's like for millions of people living in hunger all over the world. The 30-hour fast was intended to be a teaching tool and a time for discussion, as well as an opportunity to raise money for the organization. A donation of $30 can feed a child for one month, World Vision said.

It's not every day that one meets a hero. And it's not every day that one graces our California coastal city of Newport Beach. And even more uncommon is one riding horseback — with two horses in tow — on one of the most-traveled streets around, Coast Highway. I caught up with the man, Doc Mishler, along with his three longtime horse companions: Chief Free Spirit, Justice and Charity, in a busy parking lot on Balboa Boulevard and PCH. He's an original lone ranger with silver spurs on his cowboy boots and a red kerchief around his neck.

COSTA MESA ? To the casual observer, it looked like the essence of posh Orange County. Booths surrounded a shimmering blue pool on top of the Westin South Coast Plaza, giving out free food, drinks and T-shirts to passersby. Artists stood at the poolside and sketched in front of the crowd. A silent auction table displayed ornate baskets of food, chocolate and wine with signatures below each one. On that same table, though, a small, propped-up poster hinted at the true meaning of Saturday night?

-- Noaki Schwartz NEWPORT BEACH -- On Oct. 23, hundreds will gather for an autumnal stroll along Upper Newport Bay to raise money as part of the 11th annual United Interfaith Hunger Walk. Community members will gather together, some carrying banners and placards, united in their fight against hunger. The 7-kilometer walk will begin and end at St. Mark Presbyterian Church. This year, organizers are hoping to attract 350 participants and raise $35,000.

June Casagrande NEWPORT BEACH -- Against a scenic landscape such as the Back Bay, it would be easy to forget the amount of hunger and suffering in the world. But when about 10 clergy from diverse faiths step out on Sunday, people as far away as Afghanistan and as nearby as Santa Ana will be in the forefront of their minds. "Hunger touches all of us," said the Rev. Dennis Short, pastor of Harbor Christian Church in Newport Beach. "There are a lot of hungry people right here in Orange County, and this walk will help benefit local agencies that serve them."

Deirdre Newman IRVINE -- In an effort to combat hunger and malnutrition throughout the county, a group of freshmen from Sage Hill School in Newport Coast rolled up their sleeves and wove their way through a grove of trees to pick oranges here Wednesday morning. The students gathered a whopping 5,755 oranges as part of their first day of service learning -- part of the school's curriculum that connects community service with topics in the classroom.

COSTA MESA ? For the first time in her life, Kelly Gentling found herself begging for bread. The rice she was eating with her hands didn't sate her appetite so she turned to the boy behind her ? the one at the fancy table enjoying spaghetti, hot bread and sparkling cider ? and asked for a handout. Luckily, he turned out to be the generous type, and Kelly, a junior at Costa Mesa High School, quickly divided two slices of bread with the girl sitting on the floor beside her. A moment later, someone at the affluent table threw a dollar bill into the crowd, where a hungry diner snatched it. A pen and pencil, doubling as a pair of chopsticks, followed.

Project Cuddle ball coming to Costa Mesa Project Cuddle, a Costa Mesa nonprofit that aims to rescue babies from death and abandonment, will host its fourth annual Costume Gala and Fundraiser Ball at 6 p.m. on Oct. 23 at the Wyndham Gardens Hotel in Costa Mesa. The charity event will be hosted by Frank Lozano, with celebrity co-host, Bob Saget. The evening's honorees will include Sen. Jim Brulte and actor John Stamos. Stamos and Brulte, who has been instrumental in legislations such as the Safe Surrender Law and the Good Samaritan Act, will be presented with Project Cuddle's Angel Award at the gala.

Thirst, hunger and fatigue shadow Muslims as they fast through the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth lunar month in the Islamic calendar and is recognized as the fasting month for Muslims. From sunrise to sunset, Muslims refrain from food and water, among other things, for an entire month. Muslims in Southern California will fast for nearly 16 hours each day. For Muslims, the fast is recognized as one of the greatest acts of worship. For a fasting person, the objective of the fast entails a variety of spiritual, ethical and moral refinement, and physical consciousness.

It's not every day that one meets a hero. And it's not every day that one graces our California coastal city of Newport Beach. And even more uncommon is one riding horseback — with two horses in tow — on one of the most-traveled streets around, Coast Highway. I caught up with the man, Doc Mishler, along with his three longtime horse companions: Chief Free Spirit, Justice and Charity, in a busy parking lot on Balboa Boulevard and PCH. He's an original lone ranger with silver spurs on his cowboy boots and a red kerchief around his neck.

Jill Johnson-Tucker and Jennifer Van Bergh have made a secret pact with Dorian Gray. Twenty years ago the two Newport ladies founded an organization called the Harvesters. Recently in Costa Mesa at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Jennifer and Jill stood before a crowd of hundreds gathered for the 20th anniversary Harvesters fashion show and luncheon raising funds for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. Both women looked exactly as they did in 1992 when they were newlyweds with young children just starting out in life and building careers, Van Bergh in the banking industry and Johnson-Tucker in law. Joining the duo was another of Orange County's most formidable women, Jennifer Segerstrom , serving as chairwoman of the massive event.

Fasting might seem a grim topic in the midst of the Orange County Fair, beach picnics and the start of the Olympic Games. But highly observant Jews took part last weekend in Tisha B'Av, a 25-hour fast from food and drink to mark the destruction of the first and second Jewish temples (in 586 B.C. and A.D. 70) and, secondarily, the many other misfortunes that have befallen the Jewish people, especially the Holocaust. The other 25-hour fast for Jews is the more familiar Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur on Sept.

OK, I didn't read the books, but let me just say, as pure movie entertainment,"The Hunger Games"is a "wow. " This dystopian drama portrays a society where 24 children between the ages of 12-18 are randomly selected for an annual survivor/gladiator-style tournament to the death. Just living is winning. Or is it? Katniss Everdeen is already a survivor in an outlying rural district by keeping her family fed and together. When her little sister is chosen to play in the 74th annual Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to replace her as a "tribute" and is sped off to the Capitol and groomed for this gruesome human chess game.

The 23rd annual Interfaith Hunger Walk steps off at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16 from Our Lady Queen of Angels School, at Jamboree Road and East Bluff Drive in Newport Beach. Hundreds of walkers from different faiths, age groups and walks of life will walk along the beautiful Upper Newport Bay, according to Bob Johnston, the lead organizer. There will be live music, games, food, drinks and prizes awarded at the end of the 4K/7K walk. A quarter of the proceeds from the walk will benefit local organizations, including Share Our Selves Jewish Family Services, O.C. Interfaith Shelter, Catholic Worker and Stand Up For Kids.

Thirst, hunger and fatigue shadow Muslims as they fast through the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth lunar month in the Islamic calendar and is recognized as the fasting month for Muslims. From sunrise to sunset, Muslims refrain from food and water, among other things, for an entire month. Muslims in Southern California will fast for nearly 16 hours each day. For Muslims, the fast is recognized as one of the greatest acts of worship. For a fasting person, the objective of the fast entails a variety of spiritual, ethical and moral refinement, and physical consciousness.

A group of teens at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Laguna Beach got a taste of starvation on Feb. 25. In collaboration with World Vision, a Christian nonprofit dedicated to eradicating poverty, local teens spent 30 hours without food to understand what it's like for millions of people living in hunger all over the world. The 30-hour fast was intended to be a teaching tool and a time for discussion, as well as an opportunity to raise money for the organization. A donation of $30 can feed a child for one month, World Vision said.

Editor's note: This corrects the spelling of Jason Iehl's last name. COSTA MESA — Few businesses have been able to capitalize on Twitter the way the gourmet food truck industry has — many reaching cult-like status with tens of thousands of followers. Now all that viral media power will be used to feed Orange County's homeless as 20 local food trucks, with the help of multiple food bloggers, rev up their engines for a two-week "Drive Out Hunger" mobile food drive.

Courtenay Dulak LAKE FOREST, Calif.  (Dec. 2, 2009) – Professional Community Management of California, Inc., one of the nation’s largest managers of homeowner associations, is holding a holiday food drive to fight hunger and benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.  The campaign will begin Nov. 16 and end on Dec. 23 and will assist in feeding 220,000 people during the holiday season.    The following food items are a top priority for collection: canned meats, canned fish, beef stew, chili, pasta, macaroni and cheese, canned fruits and vegetables, rice, beans, canned juices, hot and cold cereals, soup and peanut butter.

The 21st annual United Interfaith Hunger Walk will be Oct. 18 along the beautiful Upper Newport Bay, according to Co-Chairman Bob Johnston. The 7K and 4K walks begin at 1:30 p.m. with registration starting at 1 p.m. at Our Lady Queen of Angels, at the corner of Eastbluff Drive and Jamboree Road in Newport Beach. The goal is to raise $35,000 with 25% of the proceeds benefiting Share Our Selves, Jewish Family Services, O.C. Interfaith Shelter and the Catholic Worker. The balance of the proceeds will go to worldwide charity organizations that fight hunger.