OCCTAC NEWS

Dear Amigos! We are very happy and grateful to be awarded a $5000 grant by the Zonta Club of Newport Harbor. We will apply the funds in accordance with the Zonta Club's mission to advance the status of women and girls in the Orange County community. Dr. Ana will be attending the Zonta Grants Dinner Program tonight. Thank you to everyone at the Zonta Club for their support of our Center's mission!

Dear Amigos, We feel loved! We were recently contacted by Arturo and Susan Echarte, founders and leaders of Acoustic for a Change who enquired whether we could use donated instruments. Of course we can! We always need instruments. Arturo and Susan gifted us with a beautiful piano, a Fender guitar, and an amplifier for our music programs. Please check out their website! Arturo and Susan Echarte have enriched the lives of so many youth in our communities by donating instruments, providing music lessons for underprivileged youth, live entertainment for charity events, and so much more! We are truly grateful to Arturo and Susan for coming by, taking a tour of the center and becoming a huge part of the OCCTAC family! What a sweet Valentine surprise! Wishing you all Much Love!

We are very proud to share the great news that our Founder and President, Dr. Ana Jimenez-Hami, has been honored as an Everyday Hero by Everyday Heroes and Orange County Register. Please see here the story from Orange County Register: Everyday Heroes sponsor Fladeboe Automotive Group presented the Fladeboe Hero of the Year award, with President and CEO  Denice Fladeboe  giving the award to  Dr. Ana Jimenez-Hami . As founder and executive director of Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center, Jimenez-Hami serves at-risk and special-needs children by providing music and arts programs. Dr. Ana Jimenez-Hami (center) holds up her Fladeboe Hero of the Year honor presented by Fladeboe Automotive Group CEO Denice Fladeboe (at left) at the Jan. 28 Everyday Heroes Awards gala alongside Register reporter Samantha Dunn (at right). Jimenez-Hami, who came from a humble background, is powered by the strong belief of her parents in the importance of a good education an...

Dear Amigos! The Orange County Children's Therapeutic Arts Center Receives National Endowment for the Arts Challenge America Fast-Track Grant to support the Harp Traditions of Latin America Festival, featuring harpists from Mexico, Paraguay, and Colombia. The project will include music instruction from international harpists, lecture-demonstrations about the historical and cultural significance of Latin American harp performance, and a culminating concert featuring harpists Alberto De La Rosa, Cesar Daniel Lopez, and Dario Robayo Sanabria.t National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Senior Deputy Chairman Joan Shigekawa announced today that OCCTAC is one of 150 not-for-profit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Challenge America Fast-Track grant. OCCTAC  is recommended for a $10,000 grant to support the Harp Traditions of Latin America Festival. The Challenge America Fast-Track category offers $10,000 matching grants to support projects that extend the reach of the art...

Dear Amigos! This month we are celebrating 13 years! As you may imagine, it's never easy and we are so grateful for everyone's support and help. We can't do it without you. One person in particular is giving 1000%: Founder and president, Dr. Ana Jimenez-Hami. Dr. Ana's commitment to our community has been recognized and honored repeatedly over the last few months and we are proud to share: Dr. Ana named as Everyday Hero by OC Register: PBS Orange County interviewed Dr. Ana in August on the Real Orange: http://video.pbssocal.org/video/2365060226/ and last but not least: NBC Latino featured Dr. Ana and OCCTAC: http://nbclatino.com/2013/06/24/latina-leaders-one-woman-helps-thousands-of-youth-with-creative-arts-center/ We have more exciting developments in the works so please stay tuned!

Dear Amigos! Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center – we know, what were we thinking! It is so long, hard to say and difficult to remember. So we are looking for a better name! And we are asking for your help! Be creative in helping rename our Center! There are three ways to send us your entry! 1) Go to our Blog Home Page and click the "Rename OCCTAC Contest FORM" tab. It will open the Facebook contest form. You need to have a Facebook. 2) Go straight to our Facebook Page and click the Rename OCCTAC Tab: 3) Come to our Center and request this FORM at the reception. DEADLINE: JUNE 29TH, 2013. The legal stuff: You agree that, by entering the Contest, you irrevocably assign and transfer to the Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center (OCCTAC) all right, title and interest in the Name, including, without limitation, all trademark rights, and you agree to execute any additional documents OCCTAC may deem necessary to eviden...

Dear Amigos! It was a fiesta on May 23rd at the Center! We are grateful to our partners in the community. Without them we would not be able to provide all the services we do to or students and families. We give thanks to our Foundation Partners: Festival of Children Foundation Zona of Newport Harbor Foundation Special Individuals: Lydia Vizcarrondo Jorge Sole Rosio Vigueras Dr. Matthew McCarter who is leaving our Board of Directors and Orange County to move to Texas. Community Partners: NACOPRW SIATech Santa Ana Work Center Santa Ana College County of Orange SSA, Children and Family Services Orangewood Child and Family Center. We had performances by Tammy Pham and Stephanie Diaz, our flamenco dancers, harp students, Suziki Violin students and Rondalla Guita Ensemble, joined by board member Nilo Lipiz on keyboard when our reception turned into a very upbeat fiesta! Thank you all for your support!