Share Ourselves expanding classroom, labs

Stefanie Frith

COSTA MESA -- The nonprofit service organization Share Ourselves is in

the middle of a quiet campaign to add a new classroom and expand its

medical and dental facilities, group leaders said Monday.

“We are expanding our medical and dental [labs] to include Saturday

sessions and evening hours,” said Karen McGlinn, the group’s executive

director. “We also will have a new classroom for job training.

The group has felt the need to keep the construction quiet because of

growing debate about whether charities in the city are hurting the city

by driving down the quality of life, she added.

“It’s very disconcerting to know that there have been a lot of people

out there who are unhappy with social service groups,” McGlinn said.

The renovation, which was given the go-ahead by the city’s development

services department in October, began in January after seven years of

planning and fund-raising. The project is set to be completed in July.

The work on the 31-year-old center comes at a time when recently

elected Councilman Chris Steel, as well as a community activist group

called Citizens for Improvement of Costa Mesa, has questioned the role

of charities and service organizations in the city.

“SOS has great people, great intentions,” said Steel, who won a seat

on the council last November on his 10th try. “But their expansion is

just disastrous because it’s inviting in. . . social problems and

cultures we don’t need and bringing down the schools. This in turn is

bringing down our property values. The question is if the council has the

courage to do something about this to improve the quality of life that is

falling apart mainly because of SOS. I love charities. Just not now or

here.”

McGlinn said that many people, including Steel, are just not familiar

with what organizations such as Share Ourselves offer to the community.

“[They] just need to come on-site. They see us as just a project where

we are giving things away,” McGlinn said. “But we offer so many things.”

Among its services, Share Ourselves provides educational programs,

food, clothing and referrals.

Mayor Libby Cowan said that Share Ourselves is only doing what any

other business would do if they felt the need to help the community.

“They are here because they have seen a need in the community. The

clientele is here,” Cowan said. “It’s not a magnet that draws in

undesired people. They have seen a need and responded to that need. They

are a great asset to the community.”

McGlinn said if anything, she just wants people to know that Share

Ourselves is not expanding, but only renovating the existing building and

services.

“We are just improving it in order to improve our services,” she said.

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