Senior Raises $275,000 for Homeless and At-Risk Youth

Senior Raises $275,000 for Homeless and At-Risk Youth
How did Sage Hill School senior Carissa Long spend her summer vacation?

She raised $275,000 for the Illumination Foundation (IF) in Orange County.

Carissa, along with a group of students who are members of the Illumination Foundation Club at Sage Hill, organized and volunteered at a charity golf tournament at the Pelican Hill Golf Club on July 31.

The money raised at the event will go to the behavioral health program at the Illumination Foundation’s Children’s Resource Center, which provides services and counseling to homeless and at-risk youth in the area.

Carissa has been heavily involved with the foundation and its work to help the homeless of Orange County since her freshman year.

“One of the first events I volunteered at was before Halloween and it was an opportunity for kids to pick out a donated costume,” Carissa said. “Seeing all the kids that didn't have clothes that fit them, or weren't wearing shoes made me want to get more involved.”

In previous summers, Carissa raised money to buy school supplies to stuff backpacks for kids in need before school started. But this year she wanted to do more.

With the help of her father, Ken Long, president of Largo Concrete, Carissa reached out to the members of the local business community to see if they wanted to play in a charity golf tournament. The majority of the funds raised were donated by the companies who attended the event. There were also donated auction and raffle items, which contributed more funds to the total raised.

Last year, she started an Illumination Foundation Club on campus to bring her passion for helping the homeless to Sage Hill.
“I created the club to stay connected with IF, but to also teach others ... that homelessness is everywhere even if we don't notice it and there is always something we can do to help, no matter how small it seems,” Carissa said.

In just its first year, the club has stuffed backpacks with school supplies; made Christmas ornaments and holiday cards and donated candy canes for IF to give out; met with IF club leaders from other high schools in the area to exchange ideas; and collaborated with Newport Harbor High School’s club to put together beauty bags to give teenage girls to help them get ready for Prom.

“We had a lot of fun last year, and I am working on growing the club this next year,” Carissa said. “We already have more members and people saying they want to help, which I think is really amazing and I'm so excited.”

Follow Sage Hill’s Illumination Foundation Club on Instagram @sagehillifclub.
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Sage Hill School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and athletic and other School administered programs.