Charlotte Kies

Charlotte Kies was playing Santa Claus on Tuesday -- dropping off

toys donated to Parent Help USA to displaced families living in

motels.

Kies has been volunteering for the Costa Mesa organization since

1998 when she met Parent Help founder Sally Kanarek. Both were

bringing presents to children living in a motel in Anaheim -- Kies

through her church and Kanarek through her organization.

As a volunteer, Kies accompanies Kanarek to motels, teaches a

parent education class and helps distribute clothes to families. She

also assists in coordinating getting donations and picking up food.

“The goal is to meet their basic needs first, and then offer

counseling and support,” Kies said.

Kies has a master’s degree in clinical psychology and has always

worked with kids, she said. She is a project liaison with the Orange

County Child Care Inclusion Project through the Orange County

Department of Education.

She volunteers as much as she is needed, she said.

“I had no idea that such poverty existed in Orange County,” Kies

said. “I saw how little [the families] had, and it tugged on a

heartstring for me.”

Kies said it was difficult at first to gain the trust of the motel

families when she first started volunteering with Parent Help since

they were getting bursts of support and attention that would

disappear just as quickly.

“The families weren’t so trusting because some groups would come

in and leave when the spotlight was gone,” Kies said. “ ... Once they

allow you in, you do get something out of it. It was definitely a

blessing to be there.”

Providing support and supplies for the motel families helps to

prevent child abuse by relieving the families of some of their daily

stress, Kies said. Some of the families have children with special

needs, which can also cause stress, Kies said. The class she teaches

illustrates how to discipline children without hurting them and

without passing judgment, Kies explained.

“We’d always be there afterward if they had things they wanted to

share that they didn’t want to talk about in front of the group,”

Kies said.

Parent Help is always looking for volunteers, Kies stressed.

“Parent Help is an amazing place to volunteer,” she said. “ ...

Whatever gifts someone has to give. Time is really a gift that’s

valued here.”

-- Story by Deirdre Newman,

photo by Kent Treptow