By Dianne Anderson All the backs of buildings and hidden places of Santa Ana became familiar territory for Pennie Mack, which was just like home for ten years until she got sick and tired of being sick and tired. She slept around the flags of the Civic Center for years, living on the walkway where ...

By Dianne Anderson Sticker shock at the grocery store is a real thing for local food activist and tasty free meals connoisseur Connie Jones, who knows firsthand what the shopping experience is like for people subsisting on limited incomes. She said it is especially hard for families with hungry growing kids. “You wonder how people ...

By Dianne Anderson Anti-poverty activist Connie Jones officially retired in August, but is still trying to pry away from the family food pantry that became the mission of her lifetime. During the next few weeks, she is finishing up the final touches on paperwork to hand over the reins to the Community Action Partnership of ...

By Dianne Anderson Moving into his new location gives local community activist James Stapleton a better way to serve more kids, especially in the coming days as the toys they’ve been dreaming of fly off the shelves. With the help of a distribution from Toys for Tots, he said his December 22 toy giveaway is ...