COSTA MESA, Calif., August 5, 2020 – Accomplished insurance executive Ian Rice of Mission Viejo recently joined the Board of Directors of 43-year-old Costa Mesa-based nonprofit Project Independence that serves people with developmental disabilities in Orange County. Rice is a benefits consultant for Alera Group of Newport Beach.  He has been a founding partner of two employee benefits firms and a tech company that helped make fantasy sports a household ...

MEKA GREEN NAMED DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES AT PROJECT INDEPENDENCE Costa Mesa, California, October 15, 2018 – Meka Green of Paramount has been named director of Human Resources for nonprofit Project Independence of Costa Mesa. She has been at Project Independence since 2007 and has many years of experience providing support to staff, clients and their families.  The mother of eight-year-old daughter, Green is a member of PTA (Parent Teacher ...

The inability of many Orange County nonprofit organizations to pay living wages to their staffs is taking its toll. It’s a major hurdle for Costa Mesa-based Project Independence, which serves Orange County residents with developmental disabilities. I recently spoke with a parent of a young man with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) after yet another beloved long-term staff member of Project Independence resigned. Her son exhibits challenging and sometimes aggressive behaviors. He ...

On March 18, 2018 the Paul Mitchell School of Costa Mesa opened its doors for a day of hairstyling and laughter. Over 40 clients and friends of Project Independence were treated like the royalty they are by the compassionate students at Paul Mitchell. The Access 2 Adventure Program of Project Independence partners with community organizations to create fun, inclusive events that bolster pride and a sense of independence. All visitors ...

40th anniversary-related event enables nonprofit to build a community one step at a time Costa Mesa, California, August 2017 – Several Orange County locations of the Trader Joe’s grocery chain will receive the Extra Mile Award next month at the eighth edition of nonprofit Project Independence’s Walk for Independence, which will commemorate the organization’s 40th anniversary.  The Walk is set for September 9 at Tewinkle Park in Costa Mesa. Trader ...