'Spring Event' at Toby's House
The great room at Toby’s House in Capistrano Beach draws in visitors with its comfy sofas and chairs, muted wall tones, shiny floors, and all-around homey atmosphere. You would never know the thriving women who find themselves at this quiet enclave once were among the most dispirited in Orange County.
On May 8, Toby’s House will hold its “Spring Event” fundraiser, beginning at 6 p.m., with a gourmet meal catered by Costa Mesa’s The Turnip Rose. The event also will feature an elegant cocktail reception, live and silent auctions, music, and a cigar bar.
Founded by Kathleen Eaton in 1998, the 16-bed facility serves pregnant and homeless women in crisis, and the staff members and volunteers help these women with counseling, vocational training, spiritual advancement, and mentoring. The goal is to make those lodging in the group’s three Orange County homes self-sufficient community members. Homeless men or overwhelmed fathers also can find help through Toby’s House community resources and outreach programs.
Volunteer of the Month
Niloofar Fakhimi may be a savvy businesswoman and dedicated mother to her two sons, but she’s also a notably humble and stylish example for Toby’s House residents. She rocks babies to sleep while their mothers take classes, and compiles donations and auction items for fundraising events. She enjoys mentoring Toby’s House residents more than anything. As co-owner with her sister-in-law of the Planet Beauty retail chain, Fakhimi helps the shelter’s new arrivals create a marketable business image with beauty and style makeovers. “You get pretty involved in these girls’ lives,” says Fakhimi, who also holds public “Nights of Beauty” makeovers at her stores to raise money for Toby’s House. “Some of them have no one, and it helps get them on the right track if they know someone is there for them. How lucky can one be to be involved in something like this?”
—Deborah S. Paul